54 THE EHODODENDEON. 



In Medfield it was till recently very abundant, 

 and flowered so freely that we have seen wagon 

 loads of flowers gathered ; but the tall trees which 

 sheltered it have been cut down, and the plants in 

 many places chopped off even with the ground. So 

 a few years hence, it may be extinct in that locality. 



The plant is a tall grower, of loose habit ; foliage 

 large, dark green above, rusty or whitish beneath. 

 The flowers are small, white or pinkish, with yel- 

 lowish-green spots on the upper petals. 



This species is the latest bloomiag Rhododendron 

 we have, never blooming until after the first of 

 July, in New England. 



It is common in cultivation, the plants having 

 been brought from the swamps ; and plants are often 

 seen for sale at the large markets, in the spring. It 

 is, however, the least desirable of all the Rhododen- 

 drons, its only merit being its late flowering. For 

 large masses on the banks of ponds or on shady 

 hill-sides, it is to be recommended, as it is perfectly 

 hardy. It will not bear drought, however, as well 

 as other species, and does not do well in full sun- 

 shine. The only losses of Rhododendrons from the 

 excessive drought of the past summer (1870), at 

 G-len Ridge, have been large plants of Rhododendron 

 maximum. Figured in Bot. Mag. 24, t. 951; in 

 Michaux, vol. 3, pi. 4 ; and in Big. Med. pi. 51. 



In English magazines we find mentioned as varie- 

 ties maximum album, purpureum, and Wellsianum. 

 The first is probably little different from the species, 

 and is the B. Purshii of Loudon. The second is 



