r 
The Rhododendron. 
It is almost useless to dwell upon the beauties of this most mag- 
nificent of all evergreen shrubs, for all are familiar with its broad, 
glossy, dark-green foliage and superb trusses of showy flowers of gor- 
geous tints and colors, varying from pure white to intense crimson. 
The problem is how to grow them permanently and satisfactorily. 
Out of several hundred varieties there are probably not over thirty vari- 
eties that are hardy in the northern states, and for general all-round 
culture this number must be reduced to about twenty. It is important, 
therefore, to the buyer that he purchase only tested varieties and those 
grown upon hardy stock, even if at a little higher cost. It is due to a 
disregard of these facts that many have become discouraged in trying to 
grow them. 
Ttiey nourish best in peaty soil and, like azaleas, are moat effective 
when grouped. In preparing a bed, if possible, locate it where it will 
be partly sheltered from the intense heat in summer and from cutting 
winds in winter. The bed should be prepared with old sod, old manure 
and sand or, better still, if obtainable, good leaf mould, which prevents 
the fine hair-like roots from drying out in hot summer weather, from 
which cause many plants are lost. Heavy mulching in summer is an 
excellent preventative, and in dry weather the beds should be thor- 
oughly soaked. 
Pinch off all seed pods after flowering in order to get good buds 
for next season. In the fall mulch the beds a foot or more with leaves, 
and if these can be left to decay, it is advisable to do so. 
