"hardy" rhododendrons 245 



and provided the varieties planted are perfectly 

 hardy their culture is fairly simple. But in the colder 

 parts of the United States of America the climate is 

 such that only the very toughest of existing varieties 

 survive the summer drought and winter cold, and the 

 need of a more enduring race is patent. In this 

 chapter it is proposed to go fairly exhaustively over 

 the whole field of hardy Rhododendrons and to 

 draw attention not only to a majority of the best 

 sorts American gardens possess, but to delve deeper 

 and point out a possible way toward the attainment 

 of a race more suitable to the climatic conditions 

 that obtain. 



The subject has many aspects but it may be 

 opened by remarks on the essential points in the cul- 

 ture of this class of plants in general. Evergreen 

 Rhododendrons are mainly woodland, and in a 

 measure also alpine, plants, and must never be al- 

 lowed to get dry at the roots. A situation screened 

 from the morning sun and sheltered from cold cutting 

 winds and where the roots may be kept cool is essen- 

 tial to success. The strong sun in March which 

 draws moisture from the leaves when the ground is 

 frozen and the roots perforce incapable of making 

 good the loss is a potent cause of death. This in 

 conjunction with the tender strain in the present-day 



