TEBATMENT AFTER FLOWERING. 19 



it may be depended on for strong bloom the follow- 

 ing year. Thus we can easily regulate the bloom 

 on any plant or portion of a plant, by removing 

 bloom-buds one year to obtain a profusion of bloom 

 the next. 



Large and old plants, however, will always set as 

 much bloom as they ought to carry ; and the difficulty 

 with Rhododendrons is rather overblooming than 

 the contrary. 



Some cultivators assert that the removal of the 

 seed-vessels is not necessary. Yet they do not deny 

 that ripening the seed weakens the plant for flower- 

 ing ; and the best reason given for neglecting it is 

 that it takes too much time. We have tried both 

 ways ; and the superior beauty, vigor, and liealth of 

 the plants from which the seeds were removed, has 

 taught us always to do it at any expense of time 

 and trouble. 



Another objection to leaving the seed-vessels is 

 that, when they have opened and scattered the seed, 

 they become very hard and persistent, and are very 

 unsightly, disfiguring the plant. 



If the weather is very dry after the flowers have 

 faded, the Rhododendrons should be plentifully 

 watered. At this season they are in full growth, 

 and need a great amount of moisture. This, how- 

 ever, should not be given after the young growth 

 begins to harden ; for then the object is to fully ripen 

 the wood and mature the flower and foliage buds for 

 winter. If the bed has been properly prepared, there 

 will seldom be any need of watering ; and mulching 

 is always the best way of retaining moisture. 



