THE RHODODENDRON ARBO'REUM 
687 
ARTICLE VII. 
TREATMENT OF THE RHODODE'NDRON ARBO'REUM. 
BY A. Z. 
This very magnificent species, according to Sir I. E. Smith, in 
Exotic Botany, 6, “was first noticed by Captain Hardwicke, on a 
tour to Sireenagur, in 1796, growing in the mountainous tract, called 
the Scivallic chain , which separates the plains of Hindostan, between 
75 and 85 deg. east longitude, from the Himmaleh mountains. It 
is generally found in elevated situations, in forests of oak: the soil a 
rich black vegetable earth, on a stoney bed. The natives use the 
wood for making the stock of matchlocks, or common musquets of 
Hindostan. The stem is columnar, twenty feet or more in height, 
sixteen to twenty-four inches in diameter. From its natural situa¬ 
tion, it is irrigated by the melting of the snow above, which conti¬ 
nues to take place most part of the season of flowering and making 
its shoots, it will therefore he readily seen, that there exists a neces¬ 
sity for it to have an abundant supply of water, during its growing 
and flowering season: it is not sufficiently hardy to endure our win¬ 
ters generally, although some plants have stood out, planted in an 
American shrubbery, throughout the whole year when the weather 
was not very severe, and did not seem to be affected by it; they cer¬ 
tainly are, when in flower, very splendid ornaments, in our conserva¬ 
tories. They grow freely in sandy peat, and strike root readily by 
layers of the young wood, they are sometimes grafted upon the 
R. ponticum, hut never make such handsome tree-like plants as when 
propagated by layers or seeds. They seldom flower until they are 
several years of age, and are then rather capricious not flowering 
every year in succession, although receiving precisely the same 
treatment. Individuals, who have not the convenience of a 
conservatory or greenhouse, may keep them very well in a cold pit 
or frame through our most severe winters. They will come beauti¬ 
fully into flower in the beginning of April, and the flowers secrete 
such a quantity of honey, that when they are shaken it falls from 
them like large drops of rain. Mr. Knight thinks a spike may yield 
upwards of a dessert-spoonful at a time, and after being exhausted, 
a fresh supply is secreted. It is, however, considered unwholesome, 
as is all collected from the other species of Rhododendron, and 
Azalea, although most part of the Ericeae produce honey free from 
any deliterious qualities. A. Z. 
