1883 .] 
STANDARD CURRANT TREES.-THE RHODODENDRON. 
G7 
Standards like these facilitate syringing 
with medicated water, and allow birds to 
catch the grubs; and when the season for 
picking the fruit comes round, it can be done 
with less exertion than from low bushes, on 
bended knees.— Alex. Forsyth. 
*** The same remarks apply equally, if not 
more strongly, to the Gooseberry tree, espe¬ 
cially to those varieties, like the Warrington, 
which are of drooping habit. We add an 
illustration of a Gooseberry tree trained 
standard fashion.—E d. 
THE RHODODENDRON. 
N the Florist for the year 1857, at p. 247, 
a correspondent (Rusticus) asked, “Why 
are not American plants more generally 
grown ? ” and he explained that his 
question referred only to Rhododendrons, and 
of those only to two species and their varieties, 
viz., B. ponticum and P. ccitawbiense. A 
quarter of a century has passed away, and the 
question is still unanswered. Year after year 
the praises of the Rhododendron for its gor¬ 
geous beauty and magnificence, and its useful¬ 
ness as a hardy flowering shrub, are repeated, 
and still it is not generally planted, or seen 
growing in every “ wood, plantation, and 
shrubbery in the three kingdoms,” as Rusticus 
desired. 
The Rhododendron never can be a plant for 
the million ; its slow growth, and the expense of 
its propagation, will always make it, compara¬ 
tively speaking, a dear plant. The question 
of soil will also prevent it from being gene¬ 
rally grown. It is a well known fact that it 
will grow well in other than peat soil, yet it is 
difficult to persuade intending planters to try 
it without. Situation has also much to do with 
the more general non-planting of Rhododen¬ 
drons, for success depends almost as much on 
the situation as on the soil. Whatever may 
be said to the contrary, shelter and humidity 
are as necessary to the well-being of the Rho¬ 
dodendron as peat soil. If planted in peat 
soil they make a more vigorous growth, and 
assume a better colour, than they do in loam, 
or in loam and leaf-mould; but it is under¬ 
stood that they will set their hloom better in 
the latter. 
It must not be inferred from the foregoing 
remarks that Rhododendrons like wet ground 
to grow in, as nothing will so soon put them 
out of health as an excess of moisture at the 
root; and hence it is necessary in preparing a 
bed or border for them to provide the means 
of carrying off any superabundant moisture. 
This is especially needful where the bed is being 
filled with peat soil, in a naturally retentive 
piece of ground, for otherwise, in such a case, 
the peat becomes little else than a sponge, 
absorbing the surrounding moisture. 
The Rhododendron is not only one of the 
most useful of hardy shrubs for the embellish¬ 
ment of the “ shrubbery, plantation, and 
wood ” ; it is also a very desirable shrub, in a 
forced state, for the decoration of the con¬ 
servatory. With a small amount of care, and 
but little forcing, Rhododendrons may be had 
in flower from Christmas, until they are in 
bloom out of doors. Any of the varieties 
may be forced, but some are from their earli¬ 
ness more suited for that purpose than others. 
Rhododendrons intended for forcing should be 
potted as early as possible in the autumn 
months. When potted they should be placed 
in a cold pit or frame, so that they may make 
root previous to their introduction into heat; 
and as soon as the blooms begin to expand 
