134 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ June, 
cutting into a 3-in. or 60-sized pot, instead of several in a larger pot. Increase 
the size of the pots as the plants require it, and keep them under glass in a cool 
house until the first week of June; afterwards plunge the pots in a bed of leaves 
or other material—not for bottom-heat, but to protect the roots from the sun, 
and to keep the soil uniformly moist. Select a spot where they may be 
sheltered from much wind, though they should have all the sun possible. Pinch 
out the top of the shoot when at the height required, and as the shoots break 
out up the stem, cut all off but three, four, or more at the top, according to the 
strength of the plant. These, too, must be encouraged to grow strong, and not be 
pinched at all. About a 9-in. pot is large enough for most of them to flower in. 
Their growth throughout should be regulated so that the last potting maybe required 
a week or two before the plants are taken under cover, which would be about 
the first week in October. Of course all flower-stems must be taken out before 
that time, and all superfluous growth checked, so that the whole vigour of the 
plant may be concentrated on the formation of the head. For a soil, use rotten 
manure and rich turfy loam, not finely sifted, but lumpy. Soon after being 
taken under cover they will produce bloom, and continue more or less throughout 
the winter. Manure-water should be given frequently after they commence 
flowering; and if they have grown as vigorously as I anticipate, the fine large 
trusses of bloom from such varieties as Duchess and Amy Hogg , will form 
bouquets of themselves, requiring only a few sprigs of Maidenhair Fern to set 
them off to greater advantage.— Thomas Record, Hatfield House , Herts. 
CROSSING RHODODENDRONS. 
N the spring of 1868, I crossed Rhododendron Jenkinsii with Prince Albert , 
one of the common sorts, and made it the female parent. The pollen 
1 from the short anthers of R. Jenkinsii was used, and the flowers were 
carefully protected from bees, in order to make the cross successful. Seed- 
pods were formed in due time, which produced perfect seeds, for I have young 
plants now growing from them. At the same time, R. Jenkinsii was made the 
female parent; and the pollen was taken from Prince Albert, and plants have 
likewise been raised from that cross. At the present time, none of these young 
plants have shown any signs of flowering, and the foliage and style of growth 
does not vary much from the type of the Himalayan and common Rhododendrons. 
In the same spring I was successful with a cross between Rhododendron 
Aucklandii and the Azalea VeitcKs Stella , making Stella the female parent. 
The pollen from the short anthers of Aucklandii was likewise used in this cross. 
I have young plants now growing vigorously from the seeds so produced, and 
hope to see some of them flower next year. All the difference I see in them at 
the present time is that they are stronger in growth and with larger foliage than 
the other young seedling Azaleas sown at the same tinie. I selected Stella for 
experiment in this case, as it is a very strong-growing variety and of fine habit, 
and also for the colour of its flowers.— William Tillery, Welbeck. 
