ANTHONY & JOHN WATERER 31 
as 1832 we read of a hybrid raised by him between R, 
arhoreum and R, caucasicutn, whilst hundreds of Azaleas 
even at that time owed their origin to him. Since then not 
a year has passed without the introduction of new varieties ; 
whilst so high was his standard that the new introductions 
were certain to be improvements. A new race of Azaleas 
was raised by him from the Californian Rhododendron 
occidentale only a few years since. In many cases a par- 
ticular variety which had won the commendation of the 
experts was not allowed to get into commerce, either 
because it did not satisfy the exacting requirements of the 
raiser, or because he had still better in reserve. 
Messrs. John Waterer & Sons, of the famous Bagshot 
Nurseries, state that ever since they started breeding Rhodo- 
dendrons it has been their aim to produce only seedlings of 
first-class quality, sufficiently hardy to stand without pro- 
tection in the United Kingdom. The history of their early 
hybrids, which were raised by crossing R, arhoreum and 
various other species, is now generally known. Of late 
years they have been introducing into the race thus 
originated the blood of other species, such as R. Griffi- 
thianum and R. Fortunei in the second generation, avoiding 
the types or true species lest the plants bred from them 
should prove tender. Broadly speaking, they have confined 
their efforts to crossing hybrids, except in the case of such 
species as R. catawhiense, R. maximum, R. M eternichii, and 
R, Smirnowii, which are absolutely hardy. Some of the 
best of their later seedlings are Pink Pearl, Alice, Corner 
Waterer, Lady Clementina Walsh, and Mrs. Stirling. In 
none of these is there a direct strain of R. Griffithianum 
or of any other tender species. 
Amongst the most successful trade breeders in the 
