300 
KALMIA LATIFOLIA, 
THE KALMIA LATIFOLIA, ITS CULTIVA- 
TION AND PROPAGATION. 
Of all the American hardy plants, there is 
not one so beautifully furnished with rich 
foliage and curiously constructed, but elegant 
flowers, as the Kalmia latifolia. It is one of 
the richest of flowering shrubs, of most perfect 
form and fine habit, and the flowers, which 
come in noble trusses at the ends of all the 
branches, are splendid beyond desci*iption. 
From the height of six inches, to the gigantic 
dimensions of six or even ten feet, the plant 
is equally perfect, and the flowers bear the 
same proportion to the foliage and figure. 
In a healthy state, the plant forms a handsome 
bush, with branches from the ground, which 
the lower ones touch, to the top ; the form, 
a half globe, or perhaps a rounded cone ; and 
the broad trusses of bloom at the ends of 
all these branches nearly touch each other, 
forming a noble and almost coutinuous mass 
of flower all over the plant. The foliage, 
which is evergreen and close, is unexcep- 
tionable ; so that, when not in flower, this 
plant forms a fine evergreen shrub, inferior 
to nothing, not even the better and richer 
kinds of holly, which are considered the per- 
fection of evergreen shrubs. The Kalmia is 
a free grower when in a good air, and in a 
soil that is adapted for it ; nor is it difficult 
to raise, propagate, or cultivate. 
SOIL AND SITUATION. 
The Kalmia requires a turfy peat earth, 
such as appears to be full of fibre and half- 
decomposed roots — such peat as may be found 
on many of our commons ; the natural soil, 
for instance, of Wimbledon Common, Bag- 
shot, parts of Woking, Knap Hill, Bedding- 
ton Park, in the neighbourhood of London, 
and numerous other localities in England. 
This peat earth, or turfy peat, is purchased 
in large quantities by nurserymen for grow- 
ing American plants, heaths, and many Bo- 
tany Bay plants. Such as is dug up in lumps 
and requires tearing asunder, and which 
seems held together by half-decomposed roots 
and fibres, is the best, where American plants 
are to be grown in perfection. This kind of 
soil is put into beds two feet thick, the earth 
being first excavated to that depth, and the 
natural soil removed. It should be chopped 
into pieces very small, and be knocked about 
a good deal, to make it workable in its new 
locality ; and, if it be very full of fibre, one 
fourth of loam, such as is formed by rotted 
turves from a loamy meadow, may be mixed 
well with it. Before, however, these beds 
are used, the soil should be dug over and 
forked over, and well worked several times. 
The situation should be low, not exposed to 
high winds ; and if there be distant lofty trees 
to shield it from too much of the burning 
sun, so much the better. The air must be 
pure ; it must not be too near smoky towns. 
In such situations as we have described should 
be formed all borders, beds, and clumps in- 
tended for American plants, and especially 
the Kalmia latifolia, which, although very 
hardy and very easily grown in proper soil 
and good air, is more easily damaged than 
any other American plants by any deviation 
from the conditions under which they thrive. 
RAISING FROM SEED. 
The Kalmia latifolia ripens its seed freely, 
and the time for sowing it is as soon as we 
please after it is ripe. Get large wide-mouthed 
pots in preference to boxes or pans, because 
they hold a larger body of compost, and there- 
fore retain moisture longer and better than 
the soil in a shallower vessel. Let all the 
peat be rubbed through a coarse sieve, and 
be mixed with one-fourth of leaf mould, 
or well-decomposed cow or horse dung ; that 
is to say, three parts peat and one part dung, 
or leaf mould. Level the top, and settle it 
down properly by lifting the pot and striking 
its weight on the table or bench, but not by 
any pressure ; let the top be made smooth 
and even, and then sprinkle the seed over 
