90 
LAWN AND SHADE TREES. 
that almost every planter of a new place feels anxious to adopt 
it. Repeated experiments with it, however, compel us to, all 
unwillingly, write that it can not be used and prove at all satis- 
factory. Even our native variety, the ilex opaca , frequently 
browns badly, and occasionally loses its foliage completely ; and 
although beautiful when it can be perfectly grown, it proves so 
often unsightly rather than beautiful, that it is unwise to use it 
except in shaded situations. 
Mountain Laurel-— AhZmm. — The kalmia, or laurel as it is 
commonly called, is one of the finest evergreen under shrubs. It 
is perfectly hardy in any exposure, but it chooses a soil largely 
composed of vegetable loam and sand. Hear running water it 
grows and blooms most freely, but naturally it is found often in 
the most barren rocky situations imaginable. As an under 
shrub it is particularly desirable, as it bears the drip of other 
trees without perceptible injury. Its flowers are produced most 
freely in June, but it continues more or less of bloom for a 
month or six weeks in succession. The latifolia , see engraving, 
and augustifolia and narrow-leaved, or sheep laurel, are the most 
valued varieties. The flowers of the former are a white or light 
pink delicately spotted, while those of the sheep laurel are dark red. 
Rhododendron.— -The rhododendrons, or rose bay as some- 
times called, are a class of broad-leaved evergreen shrubs of 
exceeding beauty both in foliage and flower. Like the kalmia, 
they succeed best when grown in soil composed mostly of 
vegetable loam and sand, although some cultivators advise free 
use of well-rotted animal manures. Such application we have 
found to produce free growth, but at expense of hardihood, and 
when necessary to improve the soil, advise fresh woods loam 
rather than animal manure. The varieties maximum and 
catawbiense have been tested as to hardihood all over the Union, 
and everywhere proved successful. Many others are probably 
equally hardy when grown under the same circumstances ; but 
