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AZALEA PULCI-IRA. 
(pretty azalea.) 
CLASS. ORDER. 
PENT-DECANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
RHODORACEiE. 
Generic Character. — Calyx in five divisions ; corolla cut into five segments, campanulate, or somewhat 
funnel-shaped. Stigma obtuse. Capsule five-celled. 
Specific Character.-— A stout shrub, with spreading branches thickly covered with brown hairs, lying close 
to the stem, and pointing upwards. Leaves thickly covered with hairs on the lower side, and less so 
on the upper. Leaf-stalks somewhat short. Flowers usually solitary, occasionally from two to 
three, terminal. Flower-stalks short, clothed with white hairs. Calyx deeply parted, very hairy. 
Corolla bright rose colour, spotted with bright red spots on the two upper segments. Stamens ten. 
Stigma a glossy red. 
Synonyms. — Rhododendron pulchrum, Sweet's Brit. FI. Gard. Rhododendron indicum y Smithii, 
Sweet's Hort. Brit. 
This beautiful hybrid was raised a few years ago from seed produced by A . ledi - 
folia, impregnated with the pollen of Azalea indica, by Mr. Smith, of Coombe 
Wood, Kingston. It flowers well with us in a cold greenhouse, potted in a mixture 
of sandy peat and light loam. The drawing was made in April last. 
All tender Azaleas require one general mode of treatment as follows 
1 . Pot as soon as they have done flowering, which will be about the end of May, 
except those intended to be left for seed, which must remain until they have ripened 
their seed. 
2. Use a mixture of equal parts of sandy loam and peat, with a small portion of 
leaf mould, in preference to all peat ; and be careful in potting to give a good 
drainage of broken potsherds ; for although they delight in moisture, stagnant water 
usually proves injurious to them. 
3. About the middle of June place them in a somewhat sheltered and shady 
situation out of doors. 
4. Allow them to stand in this situation till September, then remove them into 
a pit or greenhouse, in an airy situation, until they are wanted for flowering. 
5. It is a great assistance to them when about expanding their flowers, to remove 
them into an increased temperature ; this should be from sixty to sixty-five degrees 
Fahrenheit, and the plants may be introduced in succession. Those introduced 
about the middle or end of September will come into flower towards the end of 
October, and will continue blooming till December ; others brought in the middle 
of October will continue flowering till January ; those brought in the end of 
November will continue flowering till February ; when those in the pit or green- 
house will commence flowering, and continue till May. 
6. When they are in flower a good supply of water is requisite to enable the 
plants to support them ; any deficiency in this will cause the flowers speedily to fall. 
7- When they have done flowering, assist them by every means to make young 
wood, a good supply of which must be secured before they are removed from the 
increased heat. For this purpose, syringe them about once or twice a week, and 
after they have grown considerably, remove them to the greenhouse, previous to 
