1520 



RHODODENDRON 



dendrons and many deciduous sbrub^, anxni;^' which are 

 the Azaleas, their near rfhitive>^. A backt,n-ound of dark 

 green conifers seems most appropriate. Mountain Laur- 

 els, PieHs floribunda, Leucotlioe Catceslxfi and JDa /'hue 

 Oneorum are proper companions, but at times these 

 seem better apart. Our native lilies, L. s)tprrh>nii and 

 L. Canadrnsc, are i^ond ass.M.-iat.-s and tlirive umler 

 the same conditions. 



In hot, dry weather water shoulil be given, not daily 

 ill driblets, 'as lawns are sprinkled, but in (luantity, 

 enough at one time to soak tlie border to tJje depth of 

 the soil, but at comparatively infrequent intervals, once 

 a week or so. The bed should also be mulched with 

 leaves, or other material, to prevent evaporation; grass 

 clippings are serviceable, but should not be used in 

 large quantities at any one time or else tlu'y will heat. 

 Leaves make good wi'nter protection, which should be 

 given just before cold weather, — here, in eastern Massa- 

 chusetts, between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Let tin- 

 bed be covered to the <lepth of 10-12 in., well worked in 

 beneath the foliage but not over it. In spring dig ns 



2108. Saddle-graft at A; veneer-graft at 



For comparison with Fig. 2107. 



nuich as possilde of tliis material into the ground, re- 

 serving a part for the summer mulch. Shelter the to|)s 

 with evergreen boughs, the butts driven into the earth a 

 foot or more deep; in very wind}'- positions a temporary 

 board fence is useful. Neither Imnghs nor fence should 

 he removed until all danger from high wimls has passed. 



Rhododendrons roipiire no pruning unless injured or 

 when ill-grown plants must be made shapely ; they 

 break easily when cut back, even if the wood be aged. 

 As yet no insect pest or fungous disease of iniprirtance 

 has appeared. 



Variefi ('."<. — The following Hardy Rliododendrons, hy- 

 brids of I\. Cd/ax'bli'ii.'if!, were sent to the Arnold Arltor- 

 etum in iHiH by Mr. Anthony Waterer, Knap Hill Nur- 

 sery, Woking, Surrey, England. Their hardiness has 

 been proved by a ten years' test. In flower, foliage and 

 growth tlie}' leave nothing to l)e desired: it is impos- 

 sible to give them too great jjraise. For a.d<litional lists, 

 sec Garden and Forest as quoted above and in other 

 articles in the same journal. The brief descriptions .are 

 taken from Mr. Waterer's catalogue, from wbieli further 

 details can be obtained; almost all these varieties origi- 

 nated in his establishment. 



AJ.bvm eleiians. blush cli.inghig to white, one of tlio liest; 

 Album- grand if Inrurii, blush, fine tmss; Alex. />/rnrcr. liri^lif 

 rose ; Atrosanguineinn, intense blond-red ; Birnlnr: JUuch.lI^ 

 blush ; C'aractacus, purple -crimson ; Oatawbims': nlhuin, 



RHODODENDRON 



white; Ghas. Baii}ey,o\\evYy-re&\ Chas. Dickens, dark scarlet; 

 C. S. Sargent. hvigXit scarlet, fine truss; C(Kndescens,h\a-s\\; 

 Coriaceum, white; Delicatistiimum, wlute, pink edge; Ediv. 

 IS. Rand, scarlet ; JBverestianurn, rosy lilac, fringed, one of 

 the Viest; F. D. Godman, crimson, fine lilotch; F. L. Ames; 

 UU'iiiiaiunn : Giganteuni, bright rose ; Ouido, deep crimson ; 

 Hannibal, rose, late; Henn'i'tta Saroeiit, pink; H. H. Hvnne- 

 ircll, dark crimson, fine truss; H. IT. Sargent, crimson; Jati. 

 Batfinan, rosy srarlet; Jas. Macintosh, rosy ^cavlet; Kt'ttle- 

 drum, nurplish crimson ; King of Furplcs, fine habit ; Jjtidt/ 

 Armsfrnng, p.ale rose, beautifid ; Lady Orey Egcrton, silvery 

 Idusli, -plendid truss, extra; Marion; M. H. Si'tton, &(i3.T\et. 

 fine: Maximum We/lsianvm, blush, late; M. T. Masters, rosy 

 frini^iiii; Melton, rich piirple; Miss Mary Ames, fine habit, 

 eriinsim; Mrs. A . HnmietiMdl, pmk ; Mis. Chas. Sargent, piuk; 

 Mr.'i. H. LngersoU, rosy lilac; Mrs. Milner, crimson; Norma-. 

 I'nrinirevm. elegans; Purpureum grandifloriim .- Jialph San- 

 '''■/■,s\ pTirple-crimson; Eosemn elegans; E. S. Field, scarlet ; Sef- 

 ^';^ dark maroon, extra. b. ]\l, Watsox. 



Rhododendrons near Boston. — In the vicinity of 

 lioston there are many notable instances of the suc- 

 cessful use of Rhododendrons in greater or less 

 quantity. The estate of the late Francis B. Hayes, of 

 Lexington, Mass., and that of 

 H. H. Hunnewell, at Wellesley, 

 Mass., are perhaps as notable 

 examples as any, although other 

 examples could be cited by the 

 score of fine estates in which 

 plantings of Rhododendrons 

 have been prominent features. 

 The success that has attended 

 these plantings has been 

 brought about very largely 

 through most expensive experi- 

 ment whereb.v a great number 

 of named varieties have been 

 originally imported on the basis 

 of experiment with a view to 

 proving what the hardy kinds 

 might be. The hybrids of Jfho- 

 dodendron Catau-biense and ii*. 

 Ponticiim are the principal va- 

 rieties that have been planted, 

 and extensive trials with their 

 consequent numerous failures 

 have established the fact that 

 the following eighteen varieties 

 can well be stated to be the 

 hardy varieties for the climatic 

 conditions peculiar lo this vi- 

 cinity: Album elegaTis, Album 

 grandiflorum, Atrosanguineum, 

 Caractacus, Charles Bag ley, 

 Charles Dickens, Delicatis- 

 simum, Everestianum, Gigan- 

 teum, Hannibal, H. H. Hunne- 

 well, James Bateman, Lady 

 Armstrong, Ljt:'e's Purple, Old Port, Purpurexim, Pur- 

 pureum grandiflorum, Roseum elegans. 



The list noted above constitutes the iron-clad varie- 

 ties for the vicinity of Boston. The expression "iron- 

 clad" does not, however, indicate that these varieties 

 can be promiscuously planted without proper attention 

 to their requirements. That Rhododendrons do suc- 

 ceed under conditions of comparatively poor soil and 

 exposure is not an indication that they are happy under 

 such conditions. Rhododendrons must have the proper 

 eonditions of soil, exposure and moisture in order to 

 give the most satisfactory returns in growth and flower. 

 ^^oil conditiims do not necessarily involve an extended 

 o\itl;iy in preparation, provided the original soil is of a 

 good, ordinary composition sueh as "would maintain 

 connnon ganlen proiluets to griod advantage. Iiut it is 

 desirable 'to juld 2.5 per cent of welt-rotted leaf-mold, 

 thus providing that ])eeulia.r humus that the Rhododen- 

 di'ou seems best to thrive iu. On the other hand, care 

 must be taken that this percentage is not largely in- 

 cri'ased, as frequent instances arise where beds have 

 been prepared with too large a percentage of leaf-mold, 

 with the result thnf where the beds have once dried out 

 the texture of tlie soil becomes like that of a very dry 

 spouge. When the soil is in such condition it is impos- 

 sible to wet it down artiticially in a satisfactory manner. 

 The exposure need not necessarily be confined to sliel- 



