.April 14,1887. ] 
JOURXA L OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARD FIXER. 
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Royal Botanic Society, Second Spring Show. NeweaeUc-on-Tyne Show. 
RHODODENDRONS. 
MON GST hardy evergreen shrubs Rhododen¬ 
drons must he accorded the most honourable 
position in gardens. When in full beauty 
they are unsurpassed by any flowering ever¬ 
green, and when out of flower their shapeli¬ 
ness and bright green foliage render them 
fitting specimens for the lawn or for massing 
in beds. They are at home in any position, 
whether in the neighbourhood of a town or the pure air 
of the country; under trees, or in the open ; in sheltered 
nooks, or in exposed situations, they are alike suitable, 
and thrive if their simple requirements are attended to. 
They, however, do not like soils in which lime and chalk 
prevail, and in such instances special preparations must 
be made for them. They are worthy of all this, and of 
much more care than is bestowed upon them in many 
gardens. 
Rhododendrons will grow under forest trees, hut 
should be planted at the same time, for after trees become 
large and the soil crammed with roots there is great 
difficulty in establishing them. Before they have a chance 
of taking possession of the soil by their roots they suffer 
by drought, and often die the first season after planting. 
If the large growing trees have been well thinned, and 
large stations are prepared by digging as deeply as the 
soil will allow, incorporating with it leaf mould, manure, 
loam, or even the refuse of the potting shed, or a quantity 
of the whole mixed together before planting, success can 
be insured, especially if the shrubs are w r ell watered for 
the first season until they have taken possession of the 
soil. In the front of plantations of forest trees there is 
less difficulty in establishing them. When once established 
in woods or plantations in which the leaves of the decidu 
ous trees are allowed to remain they will need but little 
care When both are planted together and the trees duly 
thinned they grow rapidly if the soil is of a fertile nature 
or rendered so by preparation. For undergrowth, as well 
as for the margins of woodland walks and drives, no other 
plant equals It. ponticum. 
In whatever position they may be planted, it is a great 
mistake to prepare only a small hole and render the soil 
just surrounding the roots fertile to give them a start. 
Under this treatment the shrubs grow well only for a few 
years until the prepared soil fails to supply them with the 
requisite amount of food. They decrease in health and 
vigour in proportion as the soil beyond the station made 
for them is rich or poor. In naturally fertile soils they 
flourish without farther trouble, but in the majority they 
become thin and hire, while in others they linger between 
life and death, only to succumb the first time their 
energies are severely tested by a long spell of drought, 
No. 355.—'Vol. XIV., Tiihid Series. 
cutting winds, or severe frost. They frequently succeed 
better in woods when left to nature for their supply of 
food than they do in borders and dressed portions of the 
pleasure grounds. It is in these positions that Rhodo¬ 
dendrons, instead of gi owing luxuriantly, become bare 
from exhaustion. Every particle of material that would 
supply them with food is brushed away for the sake of 
appearance. This I should not object to if the shrubs 
were supplied with food to sustain them in health and fit 
them to withstand the adverse circumstances to which 
they are often subjected. Thousands of Rhododendrons 
that should now have been very ornamental in gardens 
are in a deplorable condition, and only fit to be burnt. 
I have seen these shrubs grow with wonderful vigour 
in G inches depth of heavy soil resting on a bed of clay, 
and equally well in light sandy loams, also on peaty soils 
when left to nature. In each instance, as is natural to 
the Rhododendron, they root closely on the surface, and 
their own leaves and those that are drifted under them 
soon produce a mass of fibres, and the fallen leaves also 
protect their fine silk-like roots from destruction by 
drought. In gardens their food is removed, and annually 
numbers of the surface roots are cut off by the too general 
practice of digging amongst them. In summer they 
suffer by drought, and with such treatment well may they 
be poor, thin, and unsightly. To insure success digging 
should never be practised about the roots ; it is only done 
to give a neat appearance, and prevent leaves that have 
drifted in from being blown out and carried on to the 
lawn. This is to save labour, which can be accomplished 
by another method, if not perhaps quite so quickly, with 
benefit to the shrubs. The loose leaves can be brushed 
out or drawn out with a rake unless the necessary material 
is at hand for top-dressing them as the work of cleaning 
proceeds. Refuse from the garden, such as leaves, the 
mowings of lawns, and the edging of walks, make capital 
material for top-dressing. The refuse from the potting 
shed, the surface soil removed from vineries and Reach 
houses—in fact, all soils after they are useless for indoor 
work—are excellent for this purpose. Often old hotbeds 
are available, and a few loads of soil after the most fibry 
portion has been removed for potting and other purposes, 
can be purchased in the neighbourhood of towns for 
covering leaves or material that might blow about. In 
large gardens the quantity of refuse from the various 
departments amounts to a large heap in twelve months, 
which if thrown together and turned will be found to be 
ample for top-dressing many clumps and single speci¬ 
mens of Rhododendrons. They root freely into leaves 
or garden refuse, which generally consists of a quantity 
of rich fertilising material. On light soils I prefer a 
dressing of cow manure with a thin sprinkling of soil on 
the surface, because it retains moisture much longer than 
a dressing of refuse. 
The best time for top-dressing is during the winter 
or early spring while the roots are moist, and then the 
material used will keep them in that condition throughout 
the summer. Instead of the shrubs being injured, as is 
usual during dry weather, by the destruction of their 
surface roots, it will be found on examination that the 
old surface is a mass of white fibres that are taking pos¬ 
session of the fresh sod. If the top-dressing is about 
4 inches thick it will last for at least three years before it 
need be repeated. Since we started top-dressing clumps 
that had never been touched probably since they were 
planted have become dense and thick, so that leaves that 
No. 2011. —Toe. LXXVI., Olo Series. 
jm 
