July, 1906 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



335 



The hardy cross-leaved heath {Erica Tetralix). The 

 bright green foliage maKes it ideal for edging 



cold winds. They have always wintered 

 well in Rochester, excepting during the 

 severe period of 1903-4. I always give a 

 mulching of leaves five or six inches deep in 

 the fall. The mulch is not removed in the 

 spring, and the leaves soon rot. 



During the past few years, various quar- 

 ters have reported that the rhododendrons 

 had been attacked by a species of lace bug, 

 which sucks the cells on the under sides of 

 the leaves, causing a brown discoloration, 

 and if not checked the whole plant will soon 

 turn yellow. Last year the insect appeared 

 on our plants, but it was easily destroyed by 

 applications of a solution of Ivory soap, half 

 pound in three gallons of water. 







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The rhododendrons are the most dignified and 

 most popular members of the heath family. They 

 must have perfect drainage, and deep humic soil 



The laurels, (Kalmia), with their ex- 

 quisite pink blossoms and handsome ever- 

 green foliage, are the best companions for 

 the rhododendrons and they are more easily 

 grown because they need less humus. 



The commonest and best species is the 

 mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), from 

 four to ten feet in height in different sections, 

 but never over four feet with us. It has 

 smooth, oval, deep green leaves, with saucer 

 shaped, pinkish red to white blossoms, in 

 flatfish clusters, from the first to the end of 

 June. It is a common wild plant in many 

 parts of the northeastern states. 



The sheep laurel, (K. angustijolia) is 

 easily distinguished from the foregoing, by 

 its narrower and smaller leaves and the 

 reddish flower clusters from the middle to 

 the end of June. It seldom exceeds two and 

 a half to three feet in height, and so is well 

 adapted for massing in the front of the rhodo- 

 dendron beds. 



A third species, not over one and a half 

 feet tall, and sprawling, with very pretty rose 

 purplish blossoms at the ends of the branches 

 about the middle of May, is the pale laurel 

 (K. polifolia, sometimes called K. glanca in 

 the nurseries). It is valuable because it 

 flowers early, and when planted with other 

 laurels along the edges, so that the flowers 

 peep out, the straggling habit is not noticed. 



THREE MONTHS OF AZALEA BLOOM 



For gorgeous masses of brilliantly colored 

 flowers before the rhododendrons bloom, 

 what could surpass the azaleas? In a bed 

 of mixed varieties all the beautiful tints and 

 glows of sunset skies are reproduced. There 

 are three color groups, red or pink, yellow, 

 and white, and they flower in that order, 

 from May to July. 



With the exception of A. nudiflora, which 

 does well in any light moist soil even where 

 there is lime, all the azaleas grow best in a 

 soil rich in humus, peat, or leaf mold, and 

 so may be planted in the rhododendron 

 beds. The flowers vary through pink, rose 

 and red. It grows from two to seven feet 

 tall and comes into bloom about the middle of 

 May with the expanding leaves. 



The earliest of all, and perfectly easy to 

 grow, is the native rhodora (Azalea Cana- 

 densis), a dwarf shrub, one to three feet high, 

 with delicate lavender or pale purple flowers, 

 opening the first of May. 



About the second week in May, the deli- 

 cately tinted blossoms of the Carolina 

 azalea (A. Vaseyi), about one and one-half 

 inches across, pale pink to pale rose, with 

 faint orange spots on the upper petal, unfold. 



About the same time the new hardy 

 Indian azalea (.4. Indica, var. Kampferi), 

 — introduced from Japan by Prof. C. S. 

 Sargent — opens its charming pinkish red 

 blossoms in great profusion. This is a per- 

 fectly hardy form of the florists' azalea, and 

 merits extended planting in our gardens. 

 The foliage is evergreen. 



The Chinese azalea, (A. Sinensis) has 

 very showy flowers ranging from orange to 

 pink. A large number of named hybrids 

 and varieties of this are in cultivation in a 

 wide range of exceedingly bright colors; 



The true Scotch heather (Calluna 'vulgaris) does 

 not have the bell shaped flowers of a true heath 

 (Erica). These popular names are often confused 



they bloom about May 20th, and are fairly 

 hardy. 



At the end of May and during early June, 

 the showy orange yellow to intense red blos- 

 soms of the flame colored azalea (A. calen- 

 dulacea) always attract attention, and com- 

 pletely change the color scheme of the 

 plantation. It grows from four to eight feet 

 tall. There are two other species that fit 



A successful rhododendron bed in a limestone 

 region. Peaty soil, well fertilized, was filled in to a 

 depth of two and a half feet 



