494 FRITZ BAHR'S COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE 



Plants which you have left over are best carried along in the 

 pots they are in, plunged outdoors with a little shade over them 

 and given an occasional dose of liquid cow manure. They usually 

 set buds again, that is, the plants that haven't been forced too hard. 

 However, the best way for those who only use a few plants and have 

 no proper facilities for caring for them during Summer, is to purchase 

 each year what they need and to try to dispose of them in some way 

 or other. 



The Native Hardy Varieties 



As with the native Azaleas so with the Rhododendrons, of 

 which there are a number of beautiful, showy varieties, mostly natives 

 of the eastern and southern sections of our country. At least, 

 that is the case with those listed below. 



The Rhododendrons even more than the Aza'eas deserve 

 recognition, as they are not deciduous but evergreen. For this alone 

 they would be desirable but, in addition, when in bloom and planted 

 in masses, they cannot be equalled for gorgeous effectiveness. 

 It is indeed sad that so many of us located in the Middle West and 

 more northerly sections cannot have them, but there are plenty who 

 can and not only the nurseryman, but the florist depending on a 

 local retail business, should become acquainted with a few of the 

 most desirable sorts and be able to fill orders for them. Here again 

 it is best to locate your stock at a responsible nursery which can 

 supply you with the plants. To collect native plants, you want to 

 be located near the source of supply and make a specialty of it. 

 You cannot make it pay as a little side line or with poor facilities 

 for growing the plants on for several years before selling them. 



Rhododendron catawbiense, one of the hardiest of all, a native 

 of the coldest peaks of the southern Alleghanies, flowering in May 

 with reddish purple blossoms, while not, perhaps, as beautiful as 

 some, is recommended by the fact that it can stand more cold 

 than any other. R. carolinianum, one of the most profuse bloomers, 

 is pink in color. As to R. maximum, I cannot do better than to give 

 La Bar's description of this grand variety: "Noblest of aU of 

 America's broad-leaved evergreen shrubs, blooming in July, with 

 large waxy-white or delicately pink flowers. Native in the moun- 

 tains of Pennsylvania and New York." 



RHUS (SUMACH) 



There is a place for the Sumach when masses of it can be 

 planted and enough space given to aUow proper development of 

 the plants. They can be kept to a height of five or six feet for years 

 if severely pruned back each season and if the old wood is kept cut 

 out. Their leaves are quite ornamental and their red flower heads, 

 or rather seed heads, are very showy, not to mention the beautiful 



