SPRING-FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS. 



121 



Among the best kinds of Rhododendrons to be planted out, Sir 

 John mentioned that B. Thomsoni, B. barbatum, B. campanula- 

 turn, and a few others would be sure to give great satisfaction. 

 As to Azaleas, he predicted that a great future was before them. 

 Azalea pontica was introduced in the last century, and he thought 

 that if seedlings were raised a great variety of forms would be 

 created. American Azaleas existed in great variety, and are 

 so good as to require very little, if any, improvement. Azalea 

 mollis, a native of Japan, has not been so good for crossing as 

 A. pontica, but the strain might be improved. Some years ago 

 Mr. Waterer sent out some hardy hybrid Azaleas, into the flowers 

 of which much colouring was infused. On the whole, Azaleas — 

 of course, not Indian Azaleas, which require to be grown only in 

 very favoured positions out of doors — hold a very high place 

 among spring-flowering plants, and he recommended, in conclu- 

 sion, that the hardiest species of every class of plants should be 

 tried out of doors, and if this were done we should have great 

 power in extending the beauty of our gardens. 



Mr. Goldeing, in reply to Mr. Nicholson, said that he did not 

 mean to say we had gone backward in the introduction of trees 

 and shrubs since Loudon's time, but that there was a great con- 

 trast between the plants grown thirty or forty years ago and 

 those now generally cultivated. This was owing largely to 

 fashion — for there is a fashion in gardening as in other things. 

 At one time the craze was for planting trees and shrubs, but 

 now the fashion runs in another direction. He did not mean to 

 disparage the single Horse-chestnut, but simply mentioned the 

 double Horse-chestnut for planting, so that his garden might be 

 different from that of other people. As to the Japanese Snowball- 

 tree (Viburnum plicatum), it sometimes gets frostbitten, though 

 it is perfectly hardy, and he believed it was one of the best shrubs 

 for planting. In answer to Sir John Llewellyn, he said he would 

 have spoken more about Azaleas and Rhododendrons, but if he 

 once began to talk about one particular species, he would have 

 felt inclined to go on talking of several. 



