304 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Apsil Jl 1837. 
doubt if the latter really was one of the parents. The 
flowers were much larger than those hitherto obtained, 
exceeding 3 inches in diameter and of a scarlet crimson 
colour, scarcely surpassed even now in richness of colour¬ 
ing. These formed the commencement of long series of 
varieties raised in this country, as in the following twenty 
years some thirty or forty were added to the lists, mostly 
forms of great beauty, and some of which have retained a 
high position until the present, notwithstanding the hosts 
of novelties that have been produced on the Continent. 
Messrs. Ivery & Son of Dorking, Knight of Chelsea, 
Pince of Exeter, Kinghorn, Frost, Pawley, Smith, and 
Lee figure amongst those who took a prominent part in 
improving the Azalea in the fifth decade of the century, 
while shortly afterwards Mr. Todman secured several 
crosses which, like Flag of Truce, enjoyed a long term of 
popularity. The best of those grown at the time named 
were Admiration, from Iveryana and lateritia formosa; 
Criterion, from Iveryana and Exquisita, both raised by 
Ivery & Son and beautifully figured in “The Florist,” 
1852; Duke of Devonshire, Apollo, Fielder’s White, which 
has been most extensively grown both here and on the 
Continent, especially in France, where it was a great 
lavourite with the Parisian floral decorators for many 
years; Iveryana, Murrayana, Gledstanesi, Modesta, Rosea 
punctata, Rubra plena, ltawsoni, Triumphans, and 
Yivicans. 
One of the pioneers in raising seedling Azaleas was 
Mr. Falconer, gardener at Cheam House in Surrey, and 
an experienced cu’tivator who knew him well informs 
me that many of the seedlings were afterwards distri¬ 
buted by Ivery of Dorking and Mr. Kinghorn, the latter 
obtaining the variety already mentioned as Murrayana, 
which was one of the best of its time. Mr. Falconer 
was also one of the first Azalea exhibitors with Mr. 
Carson and Mr. Green, who were also in charge of gardens 
at Cheam, and were well known to exhibitors of a 
quarter of a century ago. 
Then followed the exhibiting period, during which 
visitors to the chief horticultural shows became familiar 
with the grandly flowered specimens that still render our 
early summer exhibitions so attractive. At the larger 
shows they are indispensable either in collections of stove 
and greenhouse plants, or in classes specially devoted to 
them, as is the Regent’s Park, where they produce a most 
imposing effect. Some of the largest specimens have 
disappeared from the British shows, but there are still 
sufficient from private growers to render the exhibitions 
very brilliant, and providing classes for plants in smaller 
pots has induced a partial return to the style once cus¬ 
tomary, when Azaleas were restricted to 8-inch pots. 
Beautiful plants are staged in these classes, and from a 
decorative point of view they are much more useful in 
ordinary gardens than the larger specimens. There are 
now so many varieties, and they are so diverse in colours, 
that the selection of a few is a difficult matter. The 
following dozen have, however, been chosen with special 
regard to their free flowering qualities as exemplified in 
a large collection of the best forms obtainable:—Jean 
Vervaene, Bernhard Andrea Alba, Madame Lefebvre, 
Bernhard Andrea, Model, Due de Nassau, Prince Albert, 
Alba Illustrata, Stella, Sigismund Rucker, Comtesse de 
Flandres, and Madame Yander Cruyssen. To these 
might be added Deutsche Perle as a beautiful double 
white; Narcissiflora, a neat double white, good for early 
forcing; and Souvenir du Prince Albert as a late variety. 
The group of hybrids raised between A. amoena and 
A. indica constitutes a valuable addition to the cultivated 
Azaleas, and interesting experiments have also been 
tried with regard to obtaining a hardy race of Azalea 
indica varieties, but some consideration may be devoted 
to these matters in another issue.—L. Castle. 
CULTURE OF LETTUCES. 
The production of a plentiful supply of large solid heads of 
crisp Lettuce during as many months of the year as they can be 
had is what all kitchen gardeners should endeavour to accomplish. 
Sowings and plmtings of approved varieties must be made at 
intervals from the middle of January to the middle of August, 
the first sowing being made in heat, either in boxes placed near the 
glass in a forcing house, or in a brick pit filled to within 6 inches of 
the glass with well-trodden leaves, and having over them 4 inches 
thick of light rich mould. As soon as the young plants appear, 
sufficient air should be admitted to prevent their making a weakly 
growth, and when large enough to handle prick them out in a 
similar position, or in a warm corner where they can have the pro¬ 
tection of a few old sashes. They should be placed in rows 4 inches 
apart, and the same distance asunder in the rows, being watered and 
shaded from sunshine for a few days until the roots have taken to 
the soil. Towards the middle of April the plants may be thinned 
before they get crowded, making plantations in a warm border in 
rows 12 inches asunder, and the same distance between the plants 
in the rows. Take them up and transplant carefully with balls of 
earth adhering to the roots of the plants. In transplanting Lettuces 
in spring, which I am now doing, I always strew a little fresh soot 
over the ground, which is raked into it before setting the plants 
therein. This application of soot not only purifies the ground, but 
also enriches it, as well as saving the roots of the plants from the 
attacks of grubs. The Lettuce plants left undisturbed under 
the glass lights will supply a succession of salading to that now 
obtained from autumn-raised plants under glass in cold pits and 
frames. 
About the middle of February a pinch of seed should be sown 
in a warm situation out of doors, and a piece of garden netting 
placed over the beds to prevent the birds interfering with the seed. 
The young plants, like those raised under gla33, should be pricked 
out in nursery beds, or even in their final position as soon as they 
are large enough to handle, and then be watered to settle the soil 
about their roots. However, where the ground is to be had, there 
can be no question about the finest, the largest, and most solid 
heads being secured from untransplanted plants—that is, from 
plants the seed of which avas sown thinly in drills 12 inches apart, 
and afterwards thinned to a foot in the rows. Thus grown, the 
plants experience no check. 
The sowing made in February should be supplemented by small 
sowings the first and last week in April, and after that date at 
intervals of a fortnight or three weeks up to the middle or third 
week in August. In every case the Lettuces should be transplanted 
before they become crowded, the soil being made firm about the 
roots in planting, and in the absence of rain then, and during the 
time the plants are growing, water must be frequently given at the 
roots, so as to insure rapid growth and crispness of leaf in the 
plants. With the same object in view, as well as the destruction of 
weeds, run the Dutch hoe frequently between the plants. If the 
above simple cultural details are not attended to satisfactory results 
need not be looked for. 
During the summer and early autumn months the best results 
will be secured from plants set in a moist, cool, but not shady 
situation. However, we have obtained annually large solid heads 
of excellent Lettuce from Celery ridges, the plants, two rows on 
each ridge, having been kept well supplied with water at the roots 
while growing. With most varieties, in order to secure perfectly 
blanched heads, it will be necessary to tie the leaves together with 
a band of matting when they have nearly attained their largest 
dimensions. Those for yielding salading through the late autumn 
and winter months should nearly, if not quite, have attained to full 
size, and be taken up with balls of earth adhering to their roots on 
the approach of frost, be planted a couple of inches apart in a cold 
pit from which frost and rain can be excluded, and should have 
abundance of air admitted to them in the absence of frost and rain. 
Good plantations of plants raised from seed in August can be made 
in cold pits, frames, and on warm dry borders where the plants can 
be protected from the effects of frost by a covering of dry fern 
being put on at night and removed during the day, for cutting as 
well as transplanting in early spring. 
With regard to varieties, I find the following to be all that could 
be desired:—Grand Admiral, the least liable to “run” of any 
Lettuce that I am acquainted with ; and All the Year Rru d, 
heads compact, beautifully white, solid, and crisp (Cabbage) ; a ;d 
Paris White and Paris Green Cos, for spring and summer use. 
