12 
NAT. ORDER. ERICE^. 
delicate pink or rose color. But no plant when cultivated produces a 
flower more desirable or more ornamental for an American border or 
shrubbery. It is a plant that will produce its flowers in April, by a 
little forcing", at a time when rich flowers are more pleasing- than at 
any other season of the year. An idea in reference to this plant has 
been started, that " if a hybrid variety could be obtained between 
Hhododendron arboreum and some one of our hardy species, the result 
would be a more robust constitution on the one hand, and a greater 
brilliancy of color on the other ; and also, that if the pollen of the 
Hhododendron arboreum could be employed, the stature of the hybrid 
would also be increased." This sug-gestion has to a certain extent 
been carried out. The pistil of the Hhododendron ponticum has been 
fertilized with the pollen of the Rhododendron arboreum^ and the re- 
sult has been that hig"hly ornamental shrubby one produced equally 
hardy with the Rhododendron ponticum^ equally splendid in reg-ard to 
the size and color of the flowers with the Rhododendron arboreum, 
and blossoming- earlier by nearly six weeks than the common sorts. 
Take this plant all in all, few are better calculated to enliven a collec- 
tion than the present. 
Propagation and Culture. Of all the g-enera in existence, Rho- 
dodendron comprises the most handsome, eleg-ant and showy shrubs, 
well fitted for adorning- shi'ubberies, or to be grown sing-ly on lawns. 
All the species g-row best on peat soil, or very sandy loam, or 
veg-etable mould : they are either increased by layers or by seeds. 
When raised in the latter way, the seeds must be sown early in the 
spring-, in flat pans or pots, filled with peat earth, and covered very 
slightly ; the pots or pans should then be set in a close frame, or at 
the front of a hot-house, till the plants come up, watering them very 
slightly when dry ; and as soon as the seedlings have grown high 
enough to be laid hold of, they should be planted out into other pans 
or pots, filled with the same kind of mould ; after which they may 
stand in a close frame for a few days, until they have struck fresh 
roots ; and afterwards hardened to the air by degrees. The smaller 
