108 



[June, 



RHODODENDRONS, 



A talk about Rhododendrons should always 

 express at the very outset a prompt testi- 

 monial to the unrivaled charms of the 

 delicate, richly, and subtly colored, and 

 marvelously fashioned flowers, and noble 

 shining evergreen leaves of this king of hardy 

 shrubs. 



But our little burst of admiration over, it 

 behooves us, if we propose to plant the 

 Rhododendron and properly enjoy its 

 charms, to consider whether this noble 

 shrub is actually hardy in our Northern 

 .States, and if so, how we are to grow it 

 successfully. 



We once heard that a celebrated "English 

 horticulturist said, during a brief sojourn in 

 this country, that even in America the 

 Rhododendron was as hardy as a White Oak; 

 and in this expression may be found the key 

 to much of the difficulty that is really found 

 in growing Rhododendrons in American In- 

 stead of enduring the treatment of a White 

 Oak, the Rhododendron ca.nnot be called, in 

 the strictest terms, really hardy in this 

 climate, and is therefore, by prudent lawn 

 planters, protected with evergreen boughs 

 during at least the first winter after 

 transplanting. Now the reasoning of the 

 Englishman doubtless was, that the Rhodo- 

 dendron thrived in England in a marvelous 

 manner, and therefore must thrive in a simi- 

 lar latitude in the United States. Un- 

 fortunately, this mistaken view impels 

 Englishmen, like the one just mentioned, 

 to send out, for planting ou American lawns, 

 varieties of Rhododendrons entirely too 

 tender for the purpose. Several strains or 

 species of Rhododendrons do well in England 

 notably the Pouticum, the Catawbiense, and 

 Catawbiense hybridized with many kinds, 

 including some of East Indian origin, and 

 sundry dwarf species from different parts of 

 the world. Of these, most of the Catawbiense 

 and Ponticum Hybrids are injured in bud 

 or leaf during many American winters'. 

 Catawbiense and a few of its hybrids, like 

 Everestianum and eandidissimum are alone, 

 in a measurably satisfactory degree, suited 

 to this climate. Only one or two firms have 

 succeeded in propagating Rhododendrons in 

 this country, in quantities, as a regular article 

 of trade. It should be noted, however, that 

 such plants, being born and bred in this 

 country, have an advantage from the start 

 over foreign-grown Rhododendrons. Hav- 

 ing selected hardy varieties, they can be 

 easily transplanted, for the Rhododendron 

 has abundant fibrous roots ; but the selection 

 and preparation of a suitable home for our 

 plants is another thing, and should be under- 

 taken with considerable care and judgment. 

 A sheltered valley, ravine or bank is the 

 true spot for Rhododendrons ; but wherever 

 they are planted, they should be set in the 

 full sunlight and in rich mellow loam. Don't 

 plant Rhododendrons in deep shade ; but plant 

 them at a little distance off on the south or 

 east side of a building, or a group of large 

 trees ; and if possible, let them be evergreen 

 trees. 



In England, the peat system of making beds 

 for Rhododendrons succeeds well, I believe ; 

 in this country, however, much peat is bad 

 for them. Its excessive employment, except 



where the soil is very clayey, unfits the plant 

 for enduring the droughts and burning heat 

 peculiar to our American climate. 



In arranging the members of a group of 

 Rhododendrons, I would suggest that each 

 plant be set in the turf in a hole specially 

 prepared for the purpose. The effect of 

 greengrass roundaboutindividualRhododen- 

 drons is much better than that of bare earth, 

 and there is no real difficulty in carrying this 

 system into practice. In pursuance of the 

 same idea, the plants should be set four, six, 



I and seven feet a part so that their individual 

 beauty may be fully developed and displayed. 



| On the same principle the arrangement of 

 the group should be entirely natural, just in 

 the fashion of a wild wood group, a larger 



! plant here and there after no set form and 

 the whole wandering carelessly, as it were, 

 down the hillside or over the lawn. 



One word in conclusion, concerning what 

 to avoid in protecting Rhododendrons from 

 the cold and change's? of winter and spring. 

 Don't barrel"" them up in barrels without 

 heads or strangle them more surely with 

 bands of straws. Let loosely set evergreen 

 boughs simply shelter them from the wind, 

 thus you may help your plants and certainly 

 will not injure them. ^ ParS0 ns, Jr. 



NATIVE SPIREAS. 



Few genera of plants offer so many species 

 I for general cultivation as the Spiraeas, and of 

 the fifty or sixty species, all of which are 

 found in the temperate or sub-arctic region, 

 the majority are desirable, and possess that 

 inestimable quality, hardiness, so eagerly 

 sought in plant or shrub. 



In the eastern section of this country are 

 found three showy species, which readily 

 bear transplanting, and are much improved 

 | by cultivation. Of these the foremost and 

 handsomest is the S. opulifolia, a tall shrub 

 found growing from Canada to Georgia, and 

 attaining a height of from five to seven feet, 

 with somewhat heart-shaped leaves, rounded 

 at the end and divided into two larger lobes 

 below the center. The common name is 

 Nine-Bark, probably taking its origin from 

 the habit of the bark separating into numer- 

 ous thin layers, which easily scale off. The 

 white or rose-tinted flowers appearing in 

 June are produced in great profusion, in 

 hemispherical heads ; each blossom is sus- 

 pended from a slender downy thread, and the 

 anthers surmounting the long stamens are 

 purple, producing a very pretty and effective 

 combination of color. The shrub grows 

 readily in either wet or dry soil, and is so 

 tenacious of life that twigs carelessly thrust 

 I in the ground will readily take root. 



8. salicifolia, or Queen of the Meadow, is 

 more common than the preceding, and grows 

 in damp, low ground. The leaves are lance 

 or wedge-shaped, and closely set up on the 

 highly polished copper colored stem, which 

 ends above in a roundish head of white 

 flowers. S. to wen toga, known in New Eng- 

 land as Hardback and also Steeple bush, 

 produces its deep rose color flowers in taper- 

 ing spires, which bloom from above down- 

 ward. The leaves are closely set as in the 

 former, and the stems are covered with 

 a thick, rusty colored wool or down, which 

 gives the plant a peculiar appearance. It 

 blooms from July to September, like the pre- 

 ceding species, which it resembles in habit 

 of growth. 



In choosing the shrubs, during their in- 

 florescence, select only young plants of sym- 

 metrical growth ; cut out the dead wood and 

 rank growing stems. Work the soil lightly 

 about the roots to encourage a strong fibrous 

 growth, and when the leaves have fallen, the 

 bushes will be ready to transplant. They 

 are extremely hardy, and with proper care 

 will flourish wonderfully. 



Ike Ivy. 



PALMS FOR ORNAMENTAL PLANTING. 



Few gardeners are aware of the value 

 of some species of Palms for ornamental 

 grouping on the lawn during summer. Some 

 who are acquainted with their habits and 

 really admire them, have been deterred from 

 using the whole family on account of the 

 high price which they formerly commanded. 

 The wholesale trade have of late years grown 

 such large quantities of the common species 

 that good plants can now frequently be pur- 

 chased for little more than the sum asked 

 for strong Roses. 



Palms, as a general rule, prefer a partially 

 shaded aspect, and many of them insist upon 

 having the rays of the sun entirely kept 

 away, but there are a chosen few which will 

 endure rougher treatment ; as, for instance, 

 the Seafnrthia vlvgatix and our own native 

 Palms from the South. I have seen strong 

 plants of Seaforthia planted in groups in the 

 full summer sun, which were remarkably 

 thrifty and deep green in color. It is need- 

 less to add that their graceful, drooping 

 fronds were the perfection of sub-tropical 

 vegetation. The finest effect that can be 

 produced by the use of this class of plants is 

 by massing them around a rockery where 

 Ferns and trailing vines are luxuriating in 

 complete abandon. There seems to be a 

 remarkable appropriateness in the grouping 

 of such ornamental vegetation not to be 

 surpassed by the most gorgeous flowers in 

 our gardens. 



Many Palms do not need a strong heat 

 during winter ; indeed, they are better with- 

 out it, and as they attain a large size and be- 

 come unmanageable, smaller plants may be 

 substituted for them. I have seen the Also- 

 phild Australia, a Tree-fern, also doing well 

 in the open air, making a fine contrast with 

 the surrounding Palms. — Josiah Hoopes , in 

 N. Y. Tribune. 



MOWING NEW LAWNS, 



The success of a new lawn depends as 

 much upon the care it receives during its 

 first year as upon the preparation of the 

 soil. The best and most permanent lawns 

 — though produced by seeding, and not by- 

 sodding — are often ruined by the early 

 treatment they receive. 



In new lawns the grass should be allowed 

 to reach a height of three or four inches 

 before it is mown, and then it should only 

 be cut with a sharp scythe, using it through- 

 out the spring. No greater injury can be 

 done the young grass, and none more seri- 

 ously destructive to its succeeding growth, 

 than too close cutting at the outset. 



During the summer the lawn-mower may 

 be used every ten days or two weeks, dis- 

 pensing with it altogether during very dry 

 or hot weather. Frequent rollings with a 

 heavy roller will be found extremely bene- 

 ficial to the young sward, and help keep the 

 siirface smooth and even. 



