4G2 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
[ June 8, 1882 
attracted the attention of horticulturists. Unfortunately it 
was found to be too tender to bear English winters, and it is 
only' in. such a home as the Winter Garden at Kew where it 
can attain its full size and perfection, when the appellation of 
“arboreura ” is at once evident, as it is quite tree-like in dimen¬ 
sions. The flowers vary, but in the old type they are deep 
scarlet, large, round, and produced in very dense globular 
heads. A white variety was also early introduced, and several 
others followed, which have proved useful as parents for cross¬ 
ing with other hardy forms. One of the first and most beauti¬ 
ful hybrids raised was K. altaclerense, the result of a cross 
between R. arboreum and R. catawbiense, which was obtained 
at Highclere many years ago. This has been largely em¬ 
ployed in combination with other hardy forms, and has given 
rise to several distinct and beautiful races. 
That in the future still further progress will be made is un¬ 
doubted. The grand Himalayan species, such as R. argenteum, 
R. Aucklandii, It. Falconeri, and many others, will probably 
receive some attention, and if hardy varieties of any of these 
could be procured they would be magnificent additions to our 
garden shrubs. In several establishments collections are now 
being tried out of doors in localities where they have hitherto 
been deemed too tender to survive ; and though the past winter 
has not been a severe test for them, yet some good results may 
be expected from the experiments. 
But although much remains to be done in perfecting this 
grand genus of evergreens, much has unquestionably been ac¬ 
complished, as is apparent by a study of the varieties in the 
Rhododendron tent, now gorgeous in the gardens of the Royal 
Botanic Societj’, in Messrs. Yeitch’s nursery at Coombe Wood, 
in Baron Schroeder’s beautiful grounds at Egharn, and in Mr. 
McIntosh’s unique collection referred to last week. Passing 
round the beds at Duneevan the following were conspicuous out 
of hundreds of others, and must rank amongst the best varieties 
in cultivation. 
Charming among the richer colours and worthy of a place 
in all gardens are Mrs. Russel Sturgis, white with yellowish 
blotch ; Sappho, also white with a still more conspicuous blotch ; 
Sultana, of the same character, tine ; Fair Helen, similar, and 
perhaps finer; ; Madame Carvalho, Mrs. John Clutton, The 
Queen, and Purity, all beautiful by their pearl-like petals and 
noble trusses ; papilionaceum, effective by its striking blotch, 
and Standish’s Perfection, as faultless as its name implies. 
Most attractive, too, is the lovely blush, changing to white, 
variety Hester, and all should add it to their collections. 
Now for a contrast. Some of the finest of the very darkest 
varieties are Dhuleep Singh, deep rich maroon, and a grand 
truss; Joseph Whitworth, similarly rich, more spotted, and 
highly effective; W. H. Punchard, also dark and rich, its bold 
bronze blotch imparting quite a metallic appearance to the 
flower; Sir J. Sebright, purplish bronze, fine ; Old Port, its 
name indicating its colour ; Iron Duke, crimson scarlet suffused 
with bronze; and the new varietj^ Agamemnon, maroon, and 
conspicuous by its white blotch, which is very unusual. Among 
many others that are good those named cannot be overlooked. 
Coming to the glowing crimson and scarlet varieties it is not 
easy to make a selection from among so many that are good ; 
but no one can err by planting Michael, Frederick, John and 
Helen Waterer, for all are rich with splendid trusses. Charles 
Bagley, Beauty of Surrey, and Lord Selborne are scarcely in¬ 
ferior to them ; and Meteor is one of the brightest of all, but 
the truss not so large as some others. James Marshall Brooks 
is a splendid crimson variety with a striking greenish blotch. 
Of the rosy crimsons, very fine indeed are Raphael, richly 
spotted ; Archimedes, effective ; Marchioness of Downshire, 
fine truss ; James McIntosh, singular by some of the flowers 
opening pale rose ; Lord Eversley, some of the trusses a foot 
in diameter; Mrs. Joseph Shuttleworth, conspicuous by its 
dark blotch and white stamens ; Decorator and Blandyanum, 
both very good ; Baroness Lionel de Rothschild, rich ; and 
Sigismund Rucker, magenta rose, distinct. 
Different in hue and not less beautiful are Mrs. R. S. Hol- 
ford, salmon pink, magnificent truss; Lady Armstrong and 
Mrs. Win. Agnew, noble glowing pink varieties ; Lady Cler¬ 
mont, Lady Frances Crosby, B. M. Currie, and Mrs. John Penn, 
all alike fine, rose suffused with salmon. W. E. Gladstone, 
rich rose; Mrs. Thomas Longman, Lady Falmouth, and 
Duchess of Sutherland are all excellent; Vauban, very fine 
blotch and truss ; Madame Van der Weyer, pale rose, attrac¬ 
tive ; Rosabelle, similar in colour and merit ; Lady Eleanor 
Cathcart, distinct and beautiful ; Marchioness of Lansdowne, 
also prominently blotched, the flowers resembling Pelargoniums ; 
Vivian Grey, very fine ; and Kate Waterer, excellent. 
A few of the best purple and lilac varieties are cyaneum, 
nearly blue, distinct ; picturatum, fine bronze blotch ; purpu- 
reum elegans and fastuosum flore-pleno, both effective ; Nero, 
a grand purple variety ; Marie Stuart, lilac, bold blotch, fine ; 
Apology, silvery lilac, very beautiful; Stella, also attractive ; 
Princess of Wales, purple, centre of petals white, quite dis¬ 
tinct ; Caractacus, having petals crimped after the constant 
and gay Everestianum, which should be planted wherever 
Rhododendrons will grow, and that is nearly everywhere, ex¬ 
cept in limestone soils and where the subsoil is not dry. 
They flourish under trees as well as any other shrubs do, but 
those enumerated demand the best of positions. They succeed 
in towns, and render gay suburban gardens. They are grown 
on lawns in the form of standards—miniature trees, gorgeous 
when in flower, and at all times agreeable, therefore let them 
be grown more freely ; and at this season, if the weather and 
the soil be dry, let the shrubs be copiously watered ; let also 
the trusses be removed as the flowers fade, this not only being 
essential to the good appearance of the specimens, but to pre¬ 
vent the formation of seed, which is exhausting ; yet in the 
case of any growing very luxuriantly Mr. McIntosh finds it ad¬ 
vantageous to permit the seed pods to remain for some time, 
as he thereby secures sturdier growths and a finer display of 
flowers another year. Thus every operation of gardening 
should be governed by thought and intelligence, even such a 
simple process as removing the dead flowers from Rhodo¬ 
dendrons. 
MUSHROOMS FOR THE MILLION. 
(Continued from page 419.) 
SITE FOR MUSHROOM BEDS. 
Wherever the site and soil are such that water does 
not accumulate on the surface, there the beds may be 
arranged and Mushrooms grown. But shelter from 
cold penetrating winds is a decided advantage. Mr. 
Barter’s Mushroom ground is fully exposed to the north 
and east, yet with the aid of ivattled hurdles he achieves 
the results that have been recorded. Mr. Gilbert’s 
beds, though nearly a hundred miles further north, are 
much more favourably situated. They are arranged 
in a strip of ground about 100 yards long from east to 
west, and 20 yards wide. The northern boundary is a 
lofty garden wall, a hedge running along the south 
side of the enclosure. A lean-to bed is formed along 
the waT facing south, the remainder of the ground 
being covered with ridges across the strip, and conse¬ 
quently at right angles with the wall. This is an 
admirable position, and prodigious crops are gathered ; 
and there is no doubt whatever that if the same culti¬ 
vator practised two hundred miles still further north 
and had a similar position he would with good manure 
and spawn have equally productive ridges. Shelter, 
then, is desirable but not essential, and there are 
sheltered nooks in almost every garden and homestead 
that could be more profitably occupied with Mushrooms 
than by any other crop that could be produced on the 
ground. If there are no such favoured places make 
the beds in the open the same as is done in the vegetable 
fields round London, and protect them sufficiently with 
straw and hurdles, and an ample return will be derived 
from the labour and material thus invested. It is im¬ 
portant to remember that if the soil is good on the site 
the beds are to occupy it should be previously removed 
