THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, March 27, 1860. 
397 
antidotes against woodlice.' These insects may he trapped in 
various ways, but are not easily poisoned that I am aware of.— 
Henry Baii.f.y.] 
THE RHODODENDRON. 
(Continued from page 380.) 
Summer Culture. —The great end to aim at is, first to keep 
the shrubs in health; and secondly, to cause them to produce 
flower-buds (previously to the winter season) every year. Some 
there are that I see flower, as it were, biennially—that is, every 
other year. This is a decided failure. They ought to flower 
in due season annually. To throw them into a blooming 
condition they must be supplied with moisture at the roots 
through the dry months of spring and summer. I have 
alluded to the effects of drought last summer ; and I repeat 
it now that, if they are dried up at the roots, neither growth, 
foliage, nor buds will be perfected. As a matter of course, 
then, the ground must he kept moist, and that to a consider¬ 
able depth. The most certain way is to form hollows of a 
diameter sufficient to embrace all the roots; then fill those 
hollows with water, and repeat the dose every three or four days 
as long as the dry weather lasts. For economising water and 
labour, if moss can be had cover the ground round each bush with 
it. Moss is a non-conductor of both heat and moisture ; and it 
has also the effect of causing the fine roots to run near the 
surface. It also, in a great measure, prevents annual weeds from 
growing. 
This point of keeping the roots moist being attended to, the 
next is to keep the ground clear of weeds. Annual or perennial 
weeds must be constantly waged war with, and the war should be 
commenced as soon as the enemies appear—there must be no 
delay. If the ground is not covered with moss it may be hoed 
and raked occasionally as it requires; but the hoe must not be 
struck deep, for if that is done the best roots will be injui’ed, and 
consequently the growth impeded. Some writers recommend 
shading in summer; but I cannot agree with this, because 
shading prevents, in a great measure, the annual shoots from 
maturing and producing a state of florescence. Light, and air 
are essential to induce stout growth and abundance of bloom. 
In very moist summers the growth is almost too strong ; buds 
are formed early; and the excessive moisture causes them to 
start into a second growth towards the autumn; and that growth, 
being tender, is generally destroyed by frost. The only remedy I 
know for this grossness is to lift the plants as soon as the buds 
are formed, and thereby prevent the second growth from taking 
place. Sometimes one or two shoots take the lead, and thus rob 
the others of their due share of nutriment. These ought to be 
pruned in where shoots are scarce: or where there are plenty of 
shoots in a moderate strength, then these gourmands ought to be 
cut out entirely. 
The above points of culture are all that are required to be 
attended to through the summer, with the exception of the use 
of the syringe or garden-barrow water-engine. After a dry, hot, 
dusty day, a strong shower of soft clear water overhead will clear 
off the dust from the leaves and refresh the bushes admirably. 
Winter Culture. —If all has gone on well, and the shrubs are 
healthy and full of sound flower-buds, and the ground clear of 
weeds, then have ready a compost of sandy peat well mixed with 
cowdung in a powdery state. If moss is on the ground, remove it 
carefully and lay it aside, and then lay on the compost an inch 
thick, and replace the moss, fastening it down with rods and 
hooks. Do not dig amongst the bushes, for the spade is a bad 
tool amongst the fine tender roots of any American plants. The 
top dressing with this fine compost is the only dressing required. 
Previously, however, to this winter dressing being applied, it 
would be advisable to see if any thinning is required. The 
bushes ought to stand quite clear of each other; and when they 
by growth begin to encroach upon each other, a general thinning 
should be resorted to. This thinning, however, will generally 
only require to be done about once in seven years, provided 
they are not planted too thickly. Whenever the thinning is 
done it ought to be done thoroughly; and in order to do it well 
every plant should be lifted and replanted, so as to allow space 
to grow till the septennial season arrives again. This work 
should be done early in the autumn, and the roots should be 
mulched to keep out frost. Old tanners’ bark is an excellent 
material for this purpose where moss cannot be procured in 
sufficient quantity. 
The greater part of the varieties of these beautiful shrubs are 
hardy enough to bear our most severe winters; but some flower 
earlier than others, and the blossoms are often severely injured 
by late frosts. If these tender early sorts are grown they should 
be sheltered whenever such frosts are likely to take place. A 
frame of rods, umbrella fashion, fixed over the shrubs, and a mat 
or two thrown over them will generally be found a sufficient 
protection from a late frost. Nipping off seed-pods is a desirable 
point to attend to, unless seed is wanted. This should be done 
as soon as they are formed in order to have the desired effect. 
When they are left on for any length of time they injure the 
growth of the young shoots by taking the strength of the tree to 
perfect the seed ; and, besides that, they indicate either a want 
of time, or, I fear, too often a carelessness on the part of the 
cultivator. They disfigure the appearance of the tree, and often 
prevent flowering-buds being formed for the following year. 
Therefore, I say, off with them without delay as soon as they 
appear. 
Pruning .—This operation is resorted to for several purposes ; 
the chief of which are to form handsome trees, to renew growth 
in old weak shoots, and to remove dead branches. The best 
season for this work is March. I have fixed on that month as 
being the best; because I have found that frequently when 
branches have been pruned in autumn or winter, that the part of 
the branch below the cut has perished down to the main stem, 
and also when cut late in spring the sap oozed out more freely than 
could be healthy for the tree. Old branches on old trees often 
become weak, producing small leaves and no flowers; or, if any, 
they are small both in size and number, the whole having the 
appearance of decrepid old age. Now if these are pruned in 
freely, and a good dressing of light rich compost applied to the 
roots, fresh young shoots will spring forth the ensuing summer, 
and the plants will improve in health and appearance every year 
afterwards. The shoots, however, should be thinned whilst 
young, and the strongest and best-placed left. Standai’d Rhodo¬ 
dendrons are, when old, more than commonly subject to this 
apparent decrepitude, and may, by judicious pruning and 
fresh nutriment to the root, be renovated entirely. Very large 
bushes, also, are often found in this condition, arising, no 
doubt, in a great measure from the trees having exhausted the 
soil of all nutritive properties. In some cases I have noticed 
that the central and highest branches have failed in health and 
vigour, whilst the lower ones have continued healthy and 
blooming. Many of these side-branches, however, have made 
roots for themselves, and by them their health is sustained. 
Adopt the same method of pruning and adding rich light soil, 
and the fresh shoots will become as healthy as ever. If the soil 
is examined, it will generally be found to be as dry as dust, as 
hard as a brick, and as ungenial as possible. In such a soil in 
such a state how can a Rhododendron with its delicate fibrous 
roots thrive ? These roots are not like the roots of an Oak or 
an Elm; they have no strength to ramble away from the old 
exhausted soil in search of fresh strength-giving pasture, and 
therefore the owner must supply it for them. It would also be 
advisable, when the pruning is done, to give the roots a large 
supply of water mixed with weak liquid manure, and then to lay 
on the covering of fresh soil.—T. Appleby. 
(To he continued.) 
ANNUAL FOR A DRY SHADED RED—FRENCH 
MARIGOLD. 
Under the verandah of an old-fashioned cottage in the 
country I have three flower-beds. They get little sun, and I 
cannot afford to give them much water ; consequently they are 
empty and unsightly. Is there any pretty annual that I could 
sow which would grow under such disadvantages, and give them 
a more cheerful appearance ? 
Where is the best place to get the French Marigold described 
by Mr. Taplin ?—A Chepstow Subscriber. 
\_Silene pendula grows and blooms beautifully the whole season, 
down in Suffolk, on the thatch of cottages where the birds have 
sown them in the first instance, and where they have sown them¬ 
selves for years subsequently; and if there is an annual in the lists 
that will do for your dry beds, this is the one. It is a pretty pink 
flower, and the herbage grows as thick as grass. 
You will find the beginning and the value of the dwarf French 
Marigold in The Cottage Gardener ten years back, but we 
have ceased to put much value on it; still it is useful and cornea, 
or ought to come, true from seeds. Any of the London firms 
