496 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



the very first rank. They have the same an- 

 tipathy to chalky matter in contact with the 

 roots as their evergreen allies, and are thus 

 unsuited to gardens on a limestone formation. 

 With those exceptions, no garden can be con- 

 sidered complete with the hardy Azaleas 

 unrepresented. 



The chief species from which they have been 

 derived are of American origin, viz., calen- 

 dulacea, nudiflora, viscosa, and occidentals, hence 

 the popular term for them of " American " 

 Azaleas. But the European species known as 

 A. pontica (flavum), and, in later years, the 

 Asiatic A. sinensis {mollis), have both played a 

 very important part. Another name that has 

 popularly been applied to these shrubs is 

 "Ghent" Azaleas. The first hybrids were, 

 indeed, produced in Belgium, and many of 

 the older varieties were extensively grown 

 and exported thence to this country; hence, 

 no doubt, this name. One of the first workers 

 among Azaleas in this country was Mr. Gowen 

 of Highclere, who crossed A. viscosa and A. 

 pontica about the same time that he raised 

 R. altaclerense, already mentioned. A. calendu- 

 lacea and A. viscosa were also crossed about 

 the same date. In recent years the most im- 

 portant work among these Azaleas has been 

 done at the Knap Hill Nursery, near Woking. 



In a general sense the orange and scarlet 

 varieties have come from A. calendulacea : the 

 pink, purple, and rosy shades are from A. 

 nudiflora; the yellow from A. pontica; and the 

 small white-flowered varieties from A. viscosa. 

 In more recent times an important group 

 originating from A. sinensis has come into 

 prominence. Except that the flowers have no 

 fragrance, these varieties are quite as charm- 

 ing as the others, the flowers being larger i 

 and remarkable for their exquisitely soft tints, 

 ranging from yellow to salmon colour. They 

 flower somewhat earlier than the others, and 

 are thus liable to damage by spring frosts. 

 Another group, also of recent origin, has been 

 obtained at Knap Hill by hybridizing A. occi- 

 dentalis — a white -flowered, very fragrant, West 

 American species — with the older varieties. 

 As they do not come into bloom until after [ 

 the other Azaleas are almost over, they add 

 appreciably to the length of the Azalea season. 

 These deciduous Azaleas are amongst the most 

 attractive of autumn-tinted shrubs, the foliage 

 dying off in brilliant shades of red and purple. 



The size and habit of these Azaleas do not 

 render them so well adapted as the evergreen 

 Rhododendrons for growing as single isolated 



specimens on lawns, &c. They are better 

 suited for growing in large masses or in formal 

 beds, and thus arranged may be used in the 

 same positions as the Rhododendrons, i.e. 

 skirting walks, drives, &c. But a more admir- 

 able plan, and one which is being generally 

 adopted, is to set apart for them a certain 

 portion of the garden, which in May and June, 

 when these plants flower, is most delightful. 



In the early days of the hybridization and 

 development of the Azalea, nearly every plant 

 showing a distinguishing character, however 

 small, was given a name. Some of these old 

 varieties are still worth growing, but the best 

 of them are now surpassed by the new varieties 



Azalea— Duchess of Wellington. 



raised at Knap Hill, and these have become so 

 numerous that it is no longer possible to give 

 distinctive names. As a slight guide the 

 following named varieties may, however, be 

 recommended : — 



Ardens, Comte de Flandre, Daviesi, Decus hortorum, 

 Duchess of Wellington (fig. 603), Fiirst Camille de Rohan, 

 Gloria Mundi, Meteor, Minerva, Nancy Waterer, Ne Plus 

 Ultra, Pontica grandiflora, Queen Victoria, Sulphurea, 

 Triumphans, Viscocephala. 



Double - flowered. — Bijou de Gendbrugge, Heroine, 

 Louise Aimee Van Houtte, Narcissiflora, Ophirie, Van 

 Houttei. 



Mollis group. — Anthony Koster, Emil Liebig, Frans 

 Van der Bom, Hugo Koster, Nicolas Beets, T. J. Siedel. 



Mollis x Pontica.— Charles Rogier, Edison, Esmeralda, 

 Frederic de Merode, General Goffinet, Gloirede Belgique, 

 Oswald de Kerchove, Souvenir de Louis Van Houtte. 



Cultivation. — The general principles which 

 are laid down in regard to the cultivation of 

 "American plants", in an earlier part of this 

 work apply in every respect to Rhododendrons 

 and Azaleas. As has already been said, they 

 will not thrive in a soil heavily impregnated 



