370 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, March 20, 1860. 
and Tropceolum elegans , and not quite so much to Purple King. 
If Purple King has fourteen or lifteen inches in breadth, the 
other two to have from thirty to thirty-six inches, or say in that 
proportion. The distances always depend on the size of the 
plants. Small plants of all the three should stand a foot apart 
every way, and stronger^lants wider in proportion. It is the 
best plan to plant close at first, even if some of the plants must 
be rooted out at last.] 
FRCJIT TREES IN POTS. 
I HAVE had some thoughts of trying a few Peach, Nectarine, 
and Apricot trees (say four of each), in pots managed as follows:— 
Trained in the single-stem style (I forget what Mr. Rivers calls 
it). I propose to keep them in my greenhouse all the winter, 
and about the end of March to put them out of doors daily, 
returning them to the shelter of the greenhouse at night until all 
danger of frost is over, when I should plunge the pots in a south 
or west border until winter, when I should again remove them 
to the greenhouse, which I ought to state I do not heat unless 
it becomes necessary to do so, to keep out “ Jack Frost.” Please 
say whether there is any probability of my succeeding in getting 
fruit, and if not, can you suggest any modification of my plan 
which might secure me a moderate share of success ?—R. B. P. 
[There is no doubt about the success of your plan. All that 
is required is, to protect the trees when in blossom, and while 
the fruit is being formed ; and when these are secured, the fruit 
will ripen perfectly against a south or south-west aspect wall.] 
THE RHODODENDRON. 
It certainly is a fact, that there is no evergreen hardy shrub 
that combines so many good qualities as the Rhododendron. 
The habit is good, the foliage is beautiful, the flowers are - hand¬ 
some, and it is hardier than any other evergreen. It will grow 
almost anywhere—on the highest hills, and in the lowest valley, 
in the full blaze of the sun, or in the deep shade of the forest, in 
the fresh, clear air of the country, or near the large smoky town. 
It is easily propagated, and may be purchased at as low a price 
as any other shrub, and in any quantity. Its blooms have every 
shade of the rainbow', excepting, perhaps, clear blue. Many of 
the species reach almost the altitude of trees, whilst others creep 
close to the ground. Possessing all these good qualities, there is 
no wonder that it is more grown than any other shrub, with the 
exception of the Rose. Yet its culture, to bring it to perfection, 
is not universally understood. I propose, therefore, to devote 
a paper or two on this subject, and in order to render the subject 
more interesting and useful, I shall divide it into the following 
heads:— 
1st. Soil. 
2nd. Grouping and Planting. 
3rd. Summer Culture. 
4th. Winter Culture. 
5th. Pruning. 
6th. Propagation. 
7th. A selected list of hardy kinds, species, and varieties. 
Soil .—The very best soil for these plants is sandy peat on a 
cool bottom ; but that cannot always be procured, or if it could 
the cost of carriage would render it too expensive, excepting, 
perhaps, for a few new dear varieties. One comfort, however, 
is, that they will thrive well in any cool, loamy soil not 
actually wet, or too dry in summer. I have formed a compost 
of loam, decayed leaves, two-year old covvdung, and sand, in 
equal parts, well mixed and laid on a foot thick, on a subsoil of 
clay or heavy loam. 
I had onco the charge of a garden in which there was a plan¬ 
tation of Rhododendrons. Every winter this plantation, at the 
request of the owner, was manured w r ith night soil mixed with 
sawdust, and just pointed in with the spade. The soil was a 
heavy loam, and this strong manure liberally applied did them 
no harm, but, on the contrary, caused them to grow luxuriantly, 
many of them making shoots a yard long, and strong in pro¬ 
portion, and producing large trusses. The place was near a large 
factory, which gave us the supply. I, however, do not re¬ 
commend this manure, I should prefer a dressing of well de¬ 
composed cowdung in preference. The worst soil for them is 
one on limestone ; wherever that abounds (if these shrubs are 
planted) it ought to be removed eighteen inches deep, and the 
place filled either with sandy peat or the compost described 
above. Another objectionable soil is a loam thrown up in banks. 
This last dry summer I have seen large specimens completely 
killed on such banks, evidently by the want of moisture to the 
roots. Some that I had under my charge in such a situation 
were drooping very much. I had the soil removed near each 
bush, and formed into a hollow, and that hollow filled with 
water two or three times a-week. The shrubs showed their gra¬ 
titude for this attention by immediately rearing up their heads 
and growing well afterwards. They have also made a few 
flower-buds. This is, indeed, an extreme case: wo may not have 
such another long drought for years. Had these trees been in 
sandy peat they must have perished. 
Had I the opportunity of procuring moss in quantities, I 
should have laid on a covering of that non-conducting material. 
I know from experience that nothing is superior to moss for a 
protection from drought, and frost also. One good watering 
with a moss covering does more good than a dozen without it. 
This I have proved over and over again, not only for Rhodo¬ 
dendrons, but also hardy Azaleas, Kalmias, Sedums, hardy 
Heaths, and other plants usually classed under the head 
American. 
Reading over the above remarks we may come to the con¬ 
clusion, in respect to soil, that where sandy peat is either natural 
to the place or easily procured, the intended cultivator of these 
charming shrubs ought to use it liberally. Where this soil is 
scarce, then make the compost of loam, leaf soil, cowdung, and 
sand, thoroughly mixed together; or, again, if this compost is 
difficult of access, then plant them in a fibry loam mixed 
thoroughly with sand, and, if possible, lay on a covering of moss 
fastened down with neat rods and hooks. Whichever soil is 
used, it ought to be well forked and laid up in ridges for a 
winter’s frost to pulverise it. The roots of Rhododendrons are 
very fine and very numerous; hence heavy lumpy soil is in¬ 
jurious to them. 
Having duly prepared the soil, then prepare for the next 
proceeding—viz.: 
Grouping and Planting. — By grouping I mean the best 
arrangement as to height and colour. It is quite true that no 
planter, however careless or thoughtless he may be, would plant 
a dwarf-growing variety behind one of a tall habit; but he 
might err in planting a regular mixture of colours in a given 
space, and repeat that mixture throughout tjie whole plantation. 
This mixing is the great error of most planters ; but the truth is, 
a regular uniform mixture is no variety. The colours and pro¬ 
bable heights of each variety ought to be known, and with a pro¬ 
phetic eye the planter ought so to arrange them that the colours 
shall harmonise with each other. Now, in this tribe of shrubs 
we have various colours, beginning with pure white, then blush, 
next pink, then rose, then deep rose, next lilac, light purple, 
dark purple, then crimson, dark crimson, light scarlet, and bright 
scarlet. Possessing all these colours with plants that grow 
various in height, what a splendid show they would make if 
arranged in the ribbon style in rows on a long border, or planted 
in beds with the highest colour in the centre, surrounded with 
the next shade, and then a shade lighter, and so on to the 
margin. And this grouping might be accomplished easily, for 
such growers as the Waterers, Baker, Standish, Noble, Jackman, 
Fisher & Holmes, &c., could furnish at a moderate price, plants of 
the required colours and height in large numbers. Why is this 
not done ? Public gardens ought to set the example. Hew, for 
instance, the Crystal Palace, and especially the to-be-famous 
new gardens at Kensington. A very moderate space devoted 
especially to this arrangement, would be creditable to the ma¬ 
nagers, and a source of instruction and delight to the public. I 
trust some of the readers of The Cottage Gardener that have 
influence in such gardens, will try to have shrubs so arranged as 
to bo rich in masses, and not have them planted in the higgledy- 
piggledy style hitherto practised. The planting of these shrubs 
is easy enough, they lift with good balls, and, of course, are sure 
to live; but let me warn the planter against shallow planting. 
If the ground is freshly dug or newly formed it will settle con¬ 
siderably, and if the ball is placed just level with the new surface 
that ball will prevent its sinking with the ground between the 
plants, and then the ball, when dry weather arrives, is exposed 
to its baneful influence, and one-half or more of the delicate 
fibres perish. To avoid this evil the planter should take care 
that the balls are fairly covered at least two inches with the 
fresh soil, and then lay on a coating of my favourite moss. So 
planted and covered the plants will grow admirably, almost, if 
