PLANTING OUT 
49 
self in emphatic terms. The profusion in which he has 
bloomed this and other species when planted out, proved 
that starving is not necessary, nor is it worth resorting 
to in any case. Poor, stunted blossoms and small, un- 
characteristic leaves are not worth the growing. 
^^At certain periods of their growth Rhododendrons 
will imbibe an extraordinary amount of water, and in my 
opinion copious watering is seldom inopportune, provided 
only that the soil is sweet and suitable. The large supply 
of water required is well explained by the habit of many of 
the species to produce large quantities of succulent flowers 
and gross shoots. It may be objected that copious water- 
ing induces robust growth and destroys the prospect of 
blossom, and undoubtedly this is sometimes the case. 
When the temperature in the winter and early spring is 
allowed to range higher by night than by day, it induces 
pallid and sickly growth, which the chill blasts, admitted 
in the daytime, make short work of." 
Troubles of this kind are not experienced when Rhodo- 
dendrons are planted in the open air. Provided the soil 
is of the right quality and the supply of moisture is ample, 
they may be classed with those blessings among garden 
plants which are said to look after themselves ; but seed-pods 
should never be allowed to form upon the plants, as these 
have a very weakening effect. They may be transplanted 
at any time between the ist October and the 31st May. 
Their close, fibrous root-system favours transplantation, so 
that one need not hesitate to move specimens of the largest 
size, as is, in fact, often done, and with ordinary care the 
plants do not perceptibly suffer. 
When the Himalayan house at Kew was built, a number 
of very large Rhododendrons were presented for it by Mr. 
D 
