260 THE FLORIST AND 



The first division claims our especial attention as Americans. 

 Glass houses for the protection of tender plants are in the minority 

 so far ; our first object must necessarily be the decoration of our 

 ground. 



, R. maximum itself is one of the best adapted to open air culture. 

 It grows wild in many parts of Pennsylvania in rocky, shady, 

 mountanious situations. It is probably hardy in such situations in 

 any part of the Union. There are several varieties, and many more 

 might be raised from seed. The writer once saw them of every 

 grade of color, from white to deep pink, in the old garden of the 

 celebrated botanist, Humphrey Marshall, at Bradford in this State. 

 When they "sport" so easily from seed, much might be done by ar- 

 tificial aid in hybridization. R, pundatum is also perfectly hardy in 

 Philadelphia, magnificent specimens having existed for many years 

 in the old Bartram Garden. R. catawbiense, in the same placets 

 equally hardy, and every year produces ^a large quantity of its 

 gorgeous flowers, little inferior to R. arbor eum. These and their 

 varieties, with some of the Siberian species, which are probably as 

 hardy, offer a fine field for rural adornment. It is useless to at- 

 tempt their culture in exposed sunny situations. In winter time 

 an outburst of sun on their frozen foliage is more detrimental than 

 perhaps the severest frost. If these conditions be complied with, 

 they are not over fastidious in their choice of soils, rejecting entire- 

 ly only wet ones, or stiff clays. In turfy peat they do amazingly 

 well, yet I have seen splendid specimens in dry gravelly soils, botfi 

 on gravelly and rocky bottoms. 



In the second division we have plants that will not stand our se- 

 vere winters. They are usually reserved for pot culture. Most of 

 the varieties of ponticum have been raised by hybridization. The 

 celebrated Dean of Manchester was peculiarly successful in origi- 

 nating new varieties of them. It is highly probable that by using 

 R. maximum as a fertilizer, varieties could be obtained that would 

 prove nearly as hardy as it. The best soil for these is a fibrous, 

 turfy peat, in well drained pots. If this cannot be had they ^ill 



