744 



OPEN FLOWER-GARDEN. 



the rootaareliable to be left bare. These top-dress- 

 ings should consist of peat earth or heath soil, 

 and these should be slightly forked in amongst 

 the previous formation, always adding a sufficient 

 quantity of sand. Where the masses are large, 

 these substitutes may be indulged in, but where 

 the beds are small, and the plants rare or choice, 

 then the veritable heath-mould should be ac- 

 corded them. The roots of most American plants 

 are exceedingly numerous and slender, nor do 

 they range far in search of food, unless the soil 

 be very shallow indeed, and resting on rock or 

 gravel subsoil. To economise the peat earth, 

 therefore, and at the same time give the beds the 

 appearanceof fulness without injuryto the plants, 

 and even probably with advantage to them, we, 

 in planting, set the plants in their places, and 

 cover the roots thoroughly with good peat soil, 

 and fill in the intermediate spaces between them 

 with pretty large stones, laid in as open a manner 

 as possible, working in the finer portions of the 

 soil into the interstices, and covering the whole 

 with soil to the required height of the border. 

 The plants upon which we have tried the expe- 

 riment have thriven exceedingly; and when their 

 roots have been examined, they have been found 

 in the greatest abundance close to the stones, 

 and clinging to them on all sides. American 

 plants which have been planted in pits dug out 

 of the natural soil on a lawn immediately adjoin- 

 ing the borders to which we refer, these pits 

 being filled with their natural peat-earth, have 

 in no case succeeded so well. In some cases, 

 however, American plants are found to thrive 

 well in some sorts of gravel, others in deep 

 sands, and many in soils which have been long 

 covered with timber trees — no doubt, in the 

 latter case, on account of the abundance of vege- 

 table matter existing in the soil from the annual 

 deposit formed by the decay of the foliage and 

 other organised matter ; but in clay or chalk 

 soils they cannot be made long to exist. The 

 hardier sorts of rhododendrons and azaleas, 

 however, will flourish to great perfection in a 

 soil composed of thoroughly-rotted tanners' 

 bark and the decayed leaves of trees, if a due 

 proportion of sharp river (but not sea) sand be 

 added. Such a compost, particularly if contain- 

 ing much of the first ingredient, will require two 

 or three years of preparation, by being frequently 

 turned over, and well exposed to the sun and air. 

 To render it more porous and capable of admit- 

 ting air and the escape of superfluous moisture, 

 a portion of clear river-gravel may be added ; 

 but in all cases the leaf mould should consider- 

 ably exceed in quantity the tanners' bark. Light 

 sandy loam may be added with advantage, if not 

 exceeding one-eighth in quantity. 



Propagation of American plants.^One of 

 the most essential points in growing rhodo- 

 dendrons, hardy azaleas, and, we may say, the 

 majority of American plants, is a certain de- 

 gree of shade and moisture. In the best peat- 

 soils, without these, they do not succeed ; while 

 with them, in even a very indifferent soil, they 

 are often found to prosper well. There is, how- 

 ever, a great difference between plants merely 

 continuing to exist for a few years, and others 

 in the full luxuriance of healthy growth. The 



latter can only be expected where soil and cir- 

 cumstances are favourable. In planting the 

 early-flowering rhododendrons, it is well to keep 

 them together in one or more groups, because in 

 such cases protection may be given them in 

 spring ; and the best of all protection is thin can- 

 vass, such as is employed for wall-tree screens, 

 thrown over them, and secured round the edges 

 to prevent its being blown off. The lightness 

 of the material is such as to require no support, 

 further than to lie on the tops of the plants in 

 ordinary cases. But in cold localities, subject to 

 late spring-frosts, it would be advisable to erect 

 over the groups or beds of the veiy early flower- 

 ing sorts a poi-table framework of iron or wood, 

 and to cover that with canvass of even a stronger 

 fabric, and to be sufficiently elevated that we 

 could walk comfortably underneath — in fact, to 

 construct a tent for their protection. The can- 

 vass should be so arranged as to be readily rolled 

 up and down, so that the plants may be exposed 

 to sufficient light and air on all fine days, and 

 only covered during night and cold windy weather. 

 We have no doubt but the majority of even the 

 Indian sorts of rhododendron will yet be cultivated 

 in the American garden in this way ; for, unless 

 during very intense frosts in winter, and during 

 early spring, they require no further protection 

 in most parts of Britain, as the mean degree of 

 temperature in their native country is somewhere 

 about 65°. The misfortune is, that with us vege- 

 tation is excited often early in March, and nearly 

 paralysed in April or beginning of May, in cour 

 sequence of late frosts, to which they are not 

 exposed in their native land ; our summers are 

 also scarcely sufficiently warm to mature the 

 wood and buds fully, and hence they are less 

 prepared to withstand extreme cold in winter. 



Amelanchier. — Increased by layers and seed ; 

 free-flowering shmbs of moderate growth, en- 

 livening the grounds during April and May 

 with their profusion of white blossoms. Light 

 sandy soil. 



Andromeda. — Generally propagated by layera 

 during the month of September, at which season 

 the following year they are fit for removal. 

 They are also increased by seed sown as soon 

 as ripe in pans or flat pots, in sandy peaty soil. 

 Their treatment afterwards is the same as the 

 last. They may also, but less certainly, be 

 struck by cuttings. When seed can be procured, 

 it is the best way to procure a large stock. The 

 treatment of seedlings is the same as azaleas. 



.Azaleas. — All the hardy American species 

 and varieties, as well as the Ghent sorts. The 

 latter originated with the nurserymen of that 

 city, and are seedlings of the American species, 

 speciosa, nudiflora, calendulacea, and viscosa, 

 and are readily propagated by layers in March, 

 twisted or notched at the part buried in the 

 soil. They are seldom rooted sufficiently to 

 be separated from the parent plant until they 

 have made their second year's growth. They 

 are sometimes propagated by cuttings of the 

 young wood, like the Chinese sorts, but rarely, 

 and grafting the finer varieties on the more 

 common is occasionally practised. The majo- 

 rity of the hardy kinds ripen seed, and are 

 extensively multiplied by this means, as^ well as 



