INDOOR CULTURE. 29 



CHAPTEE II. 



INDOOR CULTURE. 



'T^HBRE are many of the finest species and varie- 

 -*- ties of Rhododendrons which are too tender 

 to survive the vrinters of our climate. Many kinds, 

 which in England are hardy, are tender with us, and 

 can only be grown with indoor culture. In this 

 class are all the fine varieties of Rhododendron pon- 

 ticum, and many of those which have a mixture of 

 Catawbiense blood ; most of the best spotted and 

 scarlet varieties, and many of those with the best- 

 defined markings ; all the glorious species of the 

 Himalaya Mountains, the so-called " Sikkim Rho- 

 dodendrons ; " and all the various forms of the 

 tree Rhododendron, R. arboreum, of Nepal ; the yel- 

 low and buff-flowered Javanese species ; and the 

 delicate and beautiful kinds of which Rhododendron 

 jasminiflorum is a representative. 



Thus, we see that the indoor culture of this plant 

 aifords a far greater range than we can find in the 

 garden. This culture has as yet, however, received 

 but little attention: we find a few plants grown in 

 greenhouses, but usually they are neglected and in 

 bad condition. To grow Rhododendrons well, they 

 should have a house to themselves ; and with such 

 culture the result would be the production of glorious 



