36S 
THE INDIAN AZALEA. 
THE INDIAN AZALEA. 
Of all the beautiful plants brought from 
China, perhaps nothing upon the whole beats 
the Azalea indica; not if we look to the origi- 
nal species or varieties perhaps, because they 
were inferior to their progeny, but we mean 
taking the family as we now possess it. The 
yellow, the purple, the white, and the scarlet, 
were very grand, but very faulty. The splen- 
did varieties, however, produced from seed, 
deserve universal adoption as conservatory 
plants. There are scores, perhaps hundreds 
of varieties now, but looking to the properties, 
there are, perhaps, nearly a dozen of great 
beauty, and possessing excellent points. The 
grand improvement was thickness of petal, 
for, without that, the colours looked watery, 
and the flowers soon faded. There is evidently 
a connexion between tbe rhododendron and the 
azalea, for they have been crossed with the 
greatest advantage. In fact, all the azaleas, 
deciduous and hardy, as well as tender and 
evergreen, seem capable of intermixing, and 
the result has been some very splendid varie- 
ties. The most hardy of the Chinese kinds is, 
the Azalea sinensis, a deciduous shrub, with 
bright yellow flowers, very superior to the 
American varieties, and able to stand a little, 
frost. The Azalea indica is totally distinct 
from all the rest of the azalea and rhododendron 
tribe. The flowers are nearly funnel-shaped, 
with divided edges and sharp points; and we 
have not yet seen any disposition to amalgamate 
with any but their own peculiar kinds. The 
varieties alba, phoenicea and coccinea — white, 
purple, and red — have, by crossing, produced 
all shades, from white to deep purple, and from 
white to deep red, and some variegated with 
spots and stripes exceedingly fine. The most 
conspicuous among the present favourites are, 
Gledstanesii, Variegata, Danielsiana, Cocci- 
nea, Prsestantissima, Splendens, Lateritia, 
Murray ana, and one or two others, either not 
named, or not yet in general cultivation. A 
collection of these, with the most remarkable 
of the few retained for their colour, rather 
than any other quality, would be all that can 
be required for a beginner who wishes to ad- 
vance. These are generally purchased in 
