lao 



THE ELOWER OAEDEK. 



white beneath. The undeveloped flower-buds are pro- 

 tected by membranous scales of a bright pink ; the pure 

 white flowers form enormous bunches. These few are 

 sufficient to give an idea of the obligations which gar- 

 deners owe to Dr. Hooker. Other and older species are 

 _K. arhoreum, cinnamomeum, roseum, maximum (greatest, 

 rather a misnomer), and Catawhiense, with their very- 

 numerous offspring obtained from seed, and only to be 

 propagated by extension. R. Vervceneanum, a fine 

 variety raised by Monsieur Vervsene, has double flowers, 

 light rosy-lilac speckled with yellow. The centre of 

 each bloom is filled with tufts of stamens transformed 

 into petals. H. ferrugineum and Jiirsutum claim our 

 interest as natives of the Alps. R. CJiamcecistus, from the 

 mountains of the Tyrol, has bright flesh-coloured flowers, 

 is the smallest of the genus, and far from the easiest to 

 cultivate. All are naturally of hardy constitution, and 

 accustomed to severity of weather at home; but they 

 will not stand all hinds of winters. These nice peculiari- 

 ties of atmospheric condition are what constitute the 

 main difficulty in the culture of Alpine plants. At the 

 first glance, it would be taken for granted that plants 

 growing not far from the line of perpetual snow, must 

 be easy to keep alive sheltered on the plain, where they 

 are secure from snowdrifts and gusty winds ; but in 

 practice, such is not found to be the case. Rhododen- 

 drons are propagated by grafting and layering. The 

 nicest plants are obtained from seed sown in pans of 

 sifted heath-mould, pressed down with the hand, and 

 kept equally and constantly moist till the seedlings have 

 sprouted, which is effected by making the pans stand in 

 other pans filled with water, and covered with a bell- 

 glass or even a flat pane. In their second year, the 

 plants are pricked out ; two years afterwards, they are 

 shifted to wider distances, where they remain till strong 

 enough to take their final positions. The Rhododen- 

 drons are very nearly allied to the Azaleas, and even 

 hybridize with them. They bear transplantation well, 

 if removed with a good ball of earth and well watered 

 afterwards. 



