14 THE RHODODENDRON. 



It is the best policy to do the work well at first, 

 and then no further enriching of the soil will be 

 needed. The roots of all " American Plants " feed 

 on thoroughly decomposed vegetable matter. This 

 we supply in abundance in the peat, of which the 

 bed is composed, and as long as this nutriment lasts 

 no more need be provided. It is, of course, within 

 the range of possibility that in time, in old beds, 

 this supply may be exhausted, and then a top dress- 

 ing of peat, leaf mould, or even well-rotted stable 

 manure, may be beneficially applied. Special ma- 

 nures, certainly any containing lime, would probably 

 prove injurious. 



Our own beds, some of which are ten years old, 

 and contain plants twice that age, have never had a 

 shovelful of manure of any kind, except what may 

 have been derived from decaying tan, and are in 

 vigorous health, growing stronger every year. 



Where Rhododendrons are suffering for want of 

 proper nutriment, the ground may be enriched ; but 

 all manure should be well rotted and thoroughly 

 decomposed before- application. 



With liquid manures we haves had no experience : 

 we should, however, judge them to be of too stimu- 

 lating a nature, and likely to prove injurious. 



A mixture of charcoal with the soil is said to 

 give intensity to the colors of the flowers. We see 

 no reason to doubt the statement ; but in view of the 

 brilliancy of color in some of the varieties of recent 

 origin, we see no need of such extraneous assist- 

 ance. 



