January 28. 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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Royal Society at 4.30 p.m. 
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4tii Sunday after Epiphany. 
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Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
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GREENHOUSE RHODODENDRONS. 
ULTIYATORS are indebted to the Heath family 
for some of their most useful and handsome 
plants, and the Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and 
Ericas alone would take a foremost place in 
floral importance. Rhododendrons particularly 
present a variation and beauty that cannot be 
surpassed in any one genus, and in some respects 
they are unequalled. The shrubbery depart¬ 
ment of gardens may be said to have been revo¬ 
lutionised by the introduction of hardy Rhododendrons, and 
beds of these plants now occupy an important position in 
most establishments wherever the soil is in any degree suit¬ 
able for them. The North American R. catawbiense was a 
grand acquisition, and when the hybridisers had brought 
their skill to bear upon this, R. caucasicum and R. arboreum, 
a race of noble shrubs was obtained that speedily found 
innumerable admirers. Who can visit such gardens as 
Laron Schroder’s at Egham (where a grand collection of these 
is now grown), at the time the plants are in flower, without 
being both surprised and delighted at the rich colours fur¬ 
nished by the bold trusses of flowers with which the shrubs are 
loaded ? In the early summer months thousands of gardens 
are rendered gay with these Rhododendrons, from the warm 
southern counties to Lancashire and Yorkshire, and whether 
in formal beds, bold clumps, or clothing the sides of elevated 
ridges as at Chatsworth, they are alike beautiful, though the 
last-named appears more natural and picturesque. 
Another magnificent group comprises the natives of the 
lofty Himalayas, the stately R. argenteum, R. Aucklandi, R. 
Nuttalli, and many others which Sir Joseph Hooker dis¬ 
covered in the Sikkim district, and that have since become 
the favoured occupants of many conservatories and winter 
gardens; or in sunny Devon and Cornish gardens, repro¬ 
ducing out of doors the attractions of the Indian Alps. 
Some gentlemen have made specialties of these, as the Hon. 
and Rev. J. T. Boscawen and the late esteemed J. H. 
Mangles, Esq., and their collections have became widely 
famed in the horticultural world. 
A third group must be added containing the “ green¬ 
house ” Rododendrons, totally distinct from both the foregoing, 
and, if of more lowly growth and less imposing appearance, 
they are certainly equally charming and useful. We owe 
the two preceding types chiefly to North American and 
Himalayan species; but now, turning to the tropical 
Malayan Archipelago, we find amongst the luxuriant vegeta¬ 
tion of those islands several Rhododendrons widely differing 
in characters. In Borneo especially they are very numerous, 
growing upon the branches and stems of trees like the 
epiphytal Orchids iu the dense forests which clothe some of 
tbe mountains to great elevations. In Java, Malacca, and 
other districts are also found several species that have been 
employed to excellent advantage by the hybridiser, and have 
assisted in producing the charming race of plants now so 
well known. Amongst those which have played a prominent 
part in the work of improvement is R. javanicum, which 
seems to have been the first introduced to this country, 
being one of those which the traveller, Mr. Thomas Lobb, 
collected in 1847 for Messrs. Yeitch & Sons, then of Exeter. 
It was first found or noted by Blume, by whom it was named 
Yereya javanica, a title since sunk in Rhododendron as not 
being separated by characters of sufficient importance to 
deserve generic rank. To the natives it was known as Gaga 
Mirha, and it was moderately abundant in forests at an eleva¬ 
tion of 4000 feet. In growth the plant is naturally some¬ 
what straggling, and not of the bushy habit distinguishing 
the American species. Its flowers are borne in dense heads, 
are shallow or Azalea-like in form, inches in diameter, 
of a dark orange-scarlet colour, and purplish in the centre. 
It has been especially valuable for the richness of its colour, 
which has been imparted to numbers of handsome descendants. 
About the same time—namely, in 1848—was introduced 
another species, R. Brookeanum, from Borneo, the flowers 
of which are rather more tubular than R. javanicum, and of 
a bright yellow colour. Mr. Hugh Low gives an interesting 
account of this plant in his work on “ Sarawak,” thus 
describing the finding of what was justly considered a floral 
treasure :—“ I shall never forget the first discovery of this 
gorgeous plant. It was epiphytal upon a tree which was 
growing in the water of a creek. The head of flowers was 
very large, arranged loosely, of the richest golden yellow, 
resplendent when in the sun. The habit is graceful, the 
leaves large, the roots are large and fleshy, n6t fibrous, as 
those of the terrestrial Rhododendrons. It is the least common 
of all the genus in the island, and has many varieties, which 
differ in having larger flowers and leaves, the former of a 
more or less red colour. Yery high and large trees in damp 
forests are its favourite haunts.” From this, crossed with 
other forms, have been obtained most of the yellow-flowered 
hybrids, and the combination with richer colours has pro¬ 
duced many beautiful intermediate tints. 
Still another year later—1849—the lovely R. jasmini- 
florum made its appearance, and at once became a favourite 
with plant lovers. Writing some time ago Mr. John Smith, 
the ex-curator of the Royal Gardens, Kew, remarked con¬ 
cerning its debut as follows :—“ At the truly splendid exhibi¬ 
tion of flowers at Chiswick in 1850 few plants excited greater 
attention among the visitors than this from the nursery of 
Messrs. Veitch at Exeter. Many excelled it in splendour, 
but the delicacy of form and colour of the flowers, and pro¬ 
bably their resemblance to the favourite Jasmine, attracted 
general notico.” That this encomium was amply deserved 
can be easily imagined, for even now there are few stove 
plants to equal it in graceful beauty. The long tubular 
flowers are sufficiently like the white Jasmine to render the 
title a suitable one, but they are larger, and though generally 
white, there is sometimes a tinge of rose that serves to 
heighten their charms. Like the others, the plant is rather 
deficient in compactness of habit, but it has been consider¬ 
ably improved in this respect by continued crossing with that 
object in view. It is a native of Malacca, where it was found 
by Mr. T. Lobb at an elevation of 5000 feet above sea 
level. 
Of comparatively recent introduction is R. Lobbi, which 
was exhibited and certificated at South Kensington in 
October, 1869. It is a native of Borneo, and has been 
thought by some to be identical with R. longiflorum, a 
species described by Lindley in the London Horticultural 
Society’s Journal. It has bright crimson flowers, with 
a tube somewhat like R. jasminiflorum, but not quito 
so long, and they are borne in dense heads at the ends of 
the stems or branches. The leaves are oblong, bright 
green, and arranged in whorls round the stems. I do not 
know the precise habitat of this species, but R. longiflorum 
is found “ near Sarawak on high trees in low damp jungles.” 
To these might be added R. Edgworthi and R. ciliatum, 
which have also been employed in the hybridising, but as 
No. 292. —Voti. XII., Third Series. 
No. 1948 .—Yol. LXXIV., Old Series 
