THE GARDENER’S ASSISTANT. 
49« 
the very first rank. They have the same an¬ 
tipathy to chalky matter in contact with the 
roots as their evergreen allies, and are thus 
unsuited to gardens on a limestone formation. 
With those exceptions, no garden can be con¬ 
sidered complete with the hardy Azaleas 
unrepresented. 
The chief species from which they have been 
derived are of American origin, viz., calen- 
dulacea, nudiflora, viscosa, and occidentalis, hence 
the popular term for them of “American” 
Azaleas. But the European species known as 
A. pontica (flavum ), and, in later years, the 
Asiatic A. sinensis (mollis), have both played a 
very important part. Another name that has 
popularly been applied to these shrubs is 
“ Ghent ” Azaleas. The first hybrids were, 
indeed, produced in Belgium, and many of 
the older varieties were extensively grown 
and exported thence to this country; hence, 
no doubt, this name. One of the first workers 
among Azaleas in this country was Mr. Gowen 
of Highclere, who crossed A. viscosa and A. 
pontica about the same time that he raised 
R. altaclerense, already mentioned. A. calenclu- 
lacea and A. viscosa were also crossed about 
the same date. In recent years the most im¬ 
portant work among these Azaleas has been 
done at the Knap Hill Nursery, near Woking. 
In a general sense the orange and scarlet 
varieties have come from A. calendulacea; the 
pink, purple, and rosy shades are from A. 
nudiflora-, the yellow from A. pontica-, and the 
small white-flowered varieties from A. viscosa. 
In more recent times an important group 
originating from A. sinensis has come into 
prominence. Except that the flowers have no 
fragrance, these varieties are quite as charm¬ 
ing as the others, the flowers being larger 
and remarkable for their exquisitely soft tints, 
ranging from yellow to salmon colour. They 
flower somewhat earlier than the others, and 
are thus liable to damage by spring frosts. 
Another group, also of recent origin, has been 
obtained at Knap Hill by hybridizing A. occi¬ 
dentalis —a white-flowered, very fragrant, West 
American species—with the older varieties. 
As they do not come into bloom until after 
the other Azaleas are almost over, they add 
appreciably to the length of the Azalea season. 
These deciduous Azaleas are amongst the most 
attractive of autumn-tinted shrubs, the foliage 
dying off in brilliant shades of red and purple. 
The size and habit of these Azaleas do not 
render them so well adapted as the evergreen 
Rhododendrons for growing as single isolated 
specimens on lawns, &c. They are better 
suited for growing in large masses or in formal 
beds, and thus arranged may be used in the 
same positions as the Rhododendrons, i.e. 
skirting walks, drives, &c. But a more admir¬ 
able plan, and one which is being generally 
adopted, is to set apart for them a certain 
portion of the garden, which in May and June, 
when these plants flower, is most delightful. 
In the early days of the hybridization and 
development of the Azalea, nearly every plant 
showing a distinguishing character, however 
small, was given a name. Some of these old 
varieties are still worth growing, but the best 
of them are now surpassed by the new varieties 
Fig. 603.—Azalea—Duchess of Wellington. 
raised at Knap Hill, and these have become so 
numerous that it is no longer possible to give 
distinctive names. As a slight guide the 
following named varieties may, however, be 
recommended:—- 
Ardens, Comte de Flandre, Daviesi, Decus hortorum. 
Duchess of Wellington (fig. 603), Fiirst Camille de Rohan, 
Gloria Mundi, Meteor, Minerva, Nancy Waterer, Ne Plus 
Ultra, Pontica grandifiora, Queen Victoria, Sulphurea, 
Triumphans, Viscocephala. 
Double - flowered. — Bijou de Gendbrugge, Heroine, 
Louise Aimee Van Houtte, Narcissiflora, Ophirie, Van 
Houttei. 
Mollis group .—Anthony Koster, Emil Liebig, Frans 
Van der Bom, Hugo Koster, Nicolas Beets, T. J. Siedel. 
Mollis x Pontica .—Charles Rogier, Edison, Esmeralda, 
Frederic de Merode, General Goffinet, Gloire de Belgique, 
Oswald de Kerchove, Souvenir de Louis Van Houtte. 
Cidtivation .—The general principles which 
are laid down in regard to the cultivation of 
“American plants”, in an earlier part of this 
work apply in every respect to Rhododendrons 
and Azaleas. As has already been said, they 
will not thrive in a soil heavily impregnated 
