24 THE RHODODENDRON. 



In this collection are many fine specimen plants ; 

 and a good stock of young plants of such varieties as 

 their experience has proved hardy and desirable, and 

 of which we speak more fully in another chapter, are 

 already for sale at reasonable prices. The plants in 

 this nursery are grown in a deep, moist, rich loam, 

 and such as have been supplied us have invariably 

 done well. Messrs. Hovey & Co., near Boston, have 

 many old and fine plants : their collection is grown 

 in a natural meadow. They have also a fine stock 

 of seedling Rhododendron maximum, the best species 

 for massing on woody places and on rocky hills. 



There may be other sale collections, but we have 

 failed to find them. Every nurseryman's catalogue 

 contains Rhododendrons, but probably not one in 

 ten could supply half a dozen good plants. We have 

 repeatedly ordered them, misled by an advertise- 

 ment ; and the result has been no plants, or, what 

 was worse, a few ill-shaped, sickly specimens, only 

 fit for the brush-heap. 



The greater part of our plants have been imported 

 from England, and yearly we thus add to our stock. 



Probably the most extensive, as weU as the oldest 

 collection of American Plants, in England, is the 

 Knap Hill Nursery, near Woking, Surrey, now of 

 Mr. Anthony Waterer. 



Thousands upon thousands of plants, in hundreds 

 of varieties, are there annually grown for sale ; and the 

 nursery and grounds contain some of the largest and 

 finest specimens in England. About the first of 

 January we send an order to Mr. Waterer ; and the 

 plants leave England by steamer from the first to 



