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LXIX. On the Introduction and Cultivation of a Variety of 

 Azalea Indica. In a Letter to the Secretary. By Mr. 

 William Anderson, F.L.S. $c. Curator of the Botanic 

 Garden, Chelsea. 



Read June 4, 1816. 



Sir, 



A s it may be desirable to be made acquainted with the 

 manner in which I have treated the Azalea Indica, and also 

 to obtain a concise history of it since it came into my posses- 

 sion, I send you the following account of it, for the Members 

 of the Horticultural Society. 



In August 1810, 1 received a beautiful variety of that plant 

 from China, it being the only survivor out of several which 

 had been taken on board, owing to the bad weather experi- 

 enced when off the Cape of Good Hope. 



Upon examining it, I found that there was much salt 

 both on its stems, and in the mould in which it was planted ; 

 I therefore plunged it several times into a tub of water, in 

 order to extract the salt ; I then cut off all the dead branches 

 and covered the wounds with our President's vine-paste, 

 which is described at page 102 of the first Volume of the 

 Horticultural Transactions ; and, without shifting, plunged 

 it into an American border, well sheltered, but much ex- 

 posed to the sun, where it remained until the end of October, 

 being in the latter part of the time protected by a hand- 

 glass from receiving too much wet, as I supposed this plant, 

 like its brethren, would be impatient of moisture. In con- 

 sequence of this treatment, it very soon made a shoot two 



