RHODODENDRON 



RHODODENDRON 



ir)19 



«>t prop;ii;'ation 

 able, but abrn; 

 tiuun. It is a - 

 hybridx of /t". 

 atntost any av, 

 Ireati'd as'root 

 prepari'd soil wb 

 uisbed. St'e La ii 

 an iuterestin.i;- ace 

 ing- thi'iu to thr to[ 

 Graftiiii^ is tht- > 

 is emplovfU ahuust 

 /.'. FonticHiu is tl 

 readily obtained fi-( 

 to U!se i?. tnaj-i niin 



Witb us biyeriiiir in s))riTl,^■ 

 d It is prarticed in both sprii 

 k>\v process, but desirable for 

 C'>/<i,rlnrnsr. Koots fnnii oi 

 '; when remove"! the layers 

 ■d eurtin^■s a.nd earetiiUy i>tov 



re water 



"J- 



Sc 



<_i . 1'^ 



nut of layerini;- lai 



plaid 



is prefer- 

 li^' and au- 

 tbe hardy 

 1 wotxi of 

 should be 

 n in well- 

 •asilv fur- 

 ll.S!)';;i for 

 s by l>ury- 



oiiinion method of i)ropaL;-atiou. and 

 universally in continental nurseries, 

 le usual stock, a free grower and 

 lUi se^-ds. Attempts have- been ina<le 

 '( in Ami-ricau nurseries, bci-ause of 



pro 



->\\'t\[ 



the tenderness of /.'. Puiif/cniii, hut no great 

 luis been made. It is assorted that the rate of ., 

 somewhat slower than that of the hybrids; tliis seems 

 hardly possible, and it is to he hoped that further ex- 

 periments will be made. T^, Ponticut)i should be estab- 

 lished in pots in spring and grafted under glass in 

 autumn and early winter, using the veneer-graft (see 

 Graftage, p. (.)G4. Vol. II). Graft as near the root as 

 possible and plant the worked parts ludow the surface 

 when planting in the nursery or permanently. With these 

 precautions, and an extra covering of leaves until the 

 plant is established on its own roots, the defect of ten- 

 derness in this stock can be overcome. Nurse carefully 

 the young grafted plants in frames until of sufficient 

 size to be planted in the nursery rows. Figs. 2107 and 

 2108 illustrate two common methods of grafting Kho- 

 dodendrons and other woody plants. The details of the 

 unions are shown in Fig. 2107. and the completed work 

 in Fig. mOti. 



made that cnttiugs of half - ripened 

 l.tut it is not liki.dy that this will ever 

 nii'thod of pro|)agating J?. iiiaxi)tutni 

 ■<' hybrids: it might be worth while to 

 experiment wirh wodd grown under glass, particularly 

 with some of the smaller-leaved evergreen kinds. 



C'ultirat(0)i. — The point upon whiidi the successful 

 American growers of Rhododendrons now insist is that 

 the water supply shall be sufficient. See H. H. Hun- 

 newell, in G. F. .3:201 (1890). To effect this: (1) make 

 the soil deep and tine, using materials like pjeat. leaf- 

 mold. WHll-r.itted manure and yellow loam, all of which 



r\ 



statements ure 

 wood will strike. I 

 prove a practical 

 or the Cafa icli'iiis 



natural water su])ply, nor so near Iniildings that the 

 border is sheltered from rain or overdrained Vjy cellar 

 walls; (5) mulch with leaves summer and winter, pro- 

 tect fronj wind and sun with evergreen boughs in win- 



2106. A common hybrid form of Garden Rhododendron. 



are retentive of moisture; (21 plant in masses, at any 

 rate while young, so that they may protect each other 

 and prevent evaporation; (.'!) give the bed a northern 

 exposure or a situation where the force of the midday 

 sun is broken; (4) do not plant under or near trees 

 like elm, oak or maple which make undue inroads on the 



2107. Grafting of Rhododendron. 

 SaiMle-txr.-d't at A; veueer-gruft at B. 



ter and in summer give heavy watering wljenever the 

 weather is excessivefy hot or dry. 



iSo//. — The bed should be prepared by excavating to 

 the desired dimensions and at least three feet deep. 

 The poor material shouhl he <liscarded, but the good 

 soil can be replarc<l, adding enough peat, etc. (see 

 abovi.' I to make good that wliicli was rejected ; all 

 should be thoroughly an<l carefully mixed. Peat, al- 

 though excellent, is not necessary. Yellow loam or 

 hazel loam, if not too sandy, is equally good and is im- 

 l)rove<l by additions of huTuus. To nearly pure peat an 

 admixture of sand is heneticial ; the essential point is 

 ihat all soils for these plants must be fine. The beds 

 shouhl be prepared in autumn and left to settle all win- 

 ter, due allowance being made for shrinking. In spring 

 level otf to the grade of the adjacent land and do not 

 leave "rounded up." A bed higher at the center than at 

 the sides perhaps makes a better display of the plants, 

 liut it is more likely to dry up and does not catch alt 

 the water possilde from occasional showers. It is gen- 

 erally conceded that lime soils and manures contaiTung 

 lime, e.g., wood ashes and bone meal, are injurious to 

 Rhododendrons; in limestone regions it is undoubtedly 

 advisable to substitute, for the natural soil, others 

 which are free from this objectionable element. 



P(rt}ifi)u/.~V\aT]t in spring when the weather is set- 

 tled and the March winds have passed. If the ball of 

 roots is dry, soak well before setting. Plant 

 closely, so that the tops are only 10-12 in. 

 a])art and pay particular attention to "facing'' 

 them, i. e., see that the best side is facing 

 the most important point of view and that all 

 are faced alike. Grafte<l plants should, if pos- 

 sible, have the worked portii.tn l.ietow the sur- 

 face. Do not plant in autumn. Plants grown 

 on the premises may l)e transplanted in favor- 

 able weather in summer if great care is taken 

 to prevent the roots suffering from dryness. In jihiu- 

 ning the original border it is well to leave room for 

 extension: when planted, as described above, the beds 

 i-an be enlarged at intervals of four or five years, or 

 new beds made from the old stock. Place the beds so 

 that the glare of the midday sun is screened both sum- 

 mer and winter, and avoid situations where there is 

 any interference, owing to trees or buildings, with a 

 naturally good condition of the soil in respect to rnois- 

 ture. If permanent protection is desired, use conifers, 

 narticularly the hemlock, in preference to deciduous 

 ■■rees. (lood positions for beds may be found along the 

 edges of ponds and streams, and in reclaimed meadows, 

 with their cool moist s<dl, but keep aloof from any 

 ground where the water collects in summer or winter. 

 Beds, or even single plants, if sizable, may be intro- 

 duced into open spaces in woodlands if the precautions 

 noted above are observed and plenty of air and light are 

 obtainable. It is somewhat difficult to combine Rhodo- 



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