ENCYCLOPZIDIA OF GARDENING. 
2 or 3in. pots; cuttings of shoots inserted in sandy soil under bell- 
glass, in temp. 45° March to Aug. ‘ 
SPECIES CULTIVATED: R. volubile (Syn. Lophospermum atrosanguineum), 
reddish purple, summer, 10 to 15 ft., Mexico. 
Rhododendron.— 0rd. Ericacee. Greenhouse, & hardy ever- 
green and deciduous flowering shrubs. The genus Azalea is now in- 
cluded with the Rhododendron. R. ponticum, parent of hardy kinds, 
first introduced 1763; R. indica (Indian Azalea) 1808. 
CULTURE OF GREENHOUSE RHODODENDRONS: Compost, two 
parts turfy peat, one part silver sand. Position, well-drained pots or 
tubs indoors all the year round for stove kinds; pots indoors from Sept. 
to June; outdoors on bed of cinder ashes in sunny position; June to 
Sept. for greenhouse kinds. Pot, April or May, directly after flower- 
ing. Water freely April to Oct., moderately afterwards. Rain water 
preferable; water containing lime injurious. Apply a little artificial 
manure to surface of soil when buds show. Repotting only necessary 
every three or four years. Temp., for stove species, 55° to 65° Sept. 
to March; 70 to 80° March to Sept.; for greenhouse species, 45° to 55° 
Sept. to March; 55° to 65° March to Sept. 
ULTURE OF HARDY RHODODENDRONS: Soil, peat or loam 
free from lime, or ordinary soil mixed with peat. Position, open 
sunny borders & shrubberies for tall kinds; sunny rockeries for dwarf 
kinds like R. hirsutum, R. chamecistus, R. ferrugineum, etc. Plant, 
Sept. to Feb. or April, 3 to 6 ft. apart. Prune, April. Romove seed 
pods directly flowers fade. Water copiously in dry weather. Mulch 
choice kinds with 2 to 3in. of decayed manure in May. To ensure 
flowers annually thin ont flower buds freely in April. Apply liquid 
cow manure occasionally during summer. 
CULTURE OF THE INDIAN AZALEA: Compost, three parts peat, 
one part loam & one part of equal proportions of leaf-mould & 
silver sand. Position, well-drained pots in sunny greenhouses from 
Oct. to June; in partial shade outdoors June to Sept. Repot directly 
after flowering. Firm potting essential. Prune only to shorten 
straggly growths. Syringe daily after flowering till plants are stood 
outdoors. Water moderately Oct. to March, afterwards freely, never 
allowing roots to get dry. Apply weak liquid manure when flower 
buds form. Temp., Oct. to March 45° to 55°; March to June 65°. 
Remove seed pods directly they form. 
CULTURE OF AZALEA PONTICA, Etc.: Soil, sandy peat & 
leaf-mould. Position, beds on lawn; or in groups in front of 
shrubberies. Plant in autumn. No pruning required. Remove 
seed pods directly they form. Mulch aunually in winter with decayed 
manure. Supply freely with water in dry weather. May also be 
grown in pots in cool greenhouses, or forced into flower early in temp. 
65° to 75° in winter. Plants grown in pots should be kept under glass 
till July, then be stood outdoors till November, when remove to cold 
house or frame. Syringe foliage after flowering till placed outdoors. 
Repot every second year directly after flowering. 
ROPAGATION OF RHODODENDRONS, Erc.: Propagate rhododendrons 
by seeds sown on surface of sandy peat, slightly covered with 
fine sand, placed under bell-glass in temp. 55° to 65° if stove or 
oo kinds, in cold frame if hardy. Cover with bell-glass & 
eep moderately moist. Also by cuttings of firm shoots, 3 in. long, 
inserted in sandy peat under bell-glass in temp. 45° to 55° at first, 
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