isro.] 
rEKPETDAL-FLOWERING CARNATIONS. 
33 
RHODODENDRON MARCHIONESS OF LANSDOAVNE. 
[Plate 485.] 
S his is one of Mr. Anthony AVaterer’s 
newer varieties of hardy Rhododendron, 
and it is certainly a very beautiful one, 
whether its lovely rosy colour or its rich spotting 
be taken into consideration. The form, both 
of the truss and of the individual flowers, is 
all that can be desired ; the former being com¬ 
pact and sufiiciently large—our page does not 
enable us to depict one of the largest—while 
the latter is broad, smooth, well expanded, and 
symmetrical. The colour is a rich rose, spotted 
heavily on the upper segment with black and 
crimson. The delicate ground-tint is verj^ diffi¬ 
cult to reproduce in artificial colours, and our 
figure should show rather less blue than M. 
Severeyns has w'orked into it. The foliage, 
necessarily reduced in the figure, is naturally 
bold, and the habit vigorous and healthy. 
Nothing need be said in recommendation of 
these fine hardy flowering shrubs, which are 
well appreciated, and without which our plea¬ 
sure-gardens would lose half their charms, the 
characteristic evergreen foliage rendering them 
ornamental in winter, and the many-hued 
blossoms giving them a gorgeous brilliancy in 
the early summer months.—T. Moore. 
PERPETUAL-FLOWERING CARNATIONS. 
S HESE rrseful flowering plants are be¬ 
coming more extensively cultivated 
every year. The trade in the plants has 
become quite an important branch in the busi¬ 
ness of several of our leading nurserymen. The 
flowers are not only exceedingly beautiful and 
sweetly scented, but they can be obtained in 
every month of the year. From about four 
dozen of plants of different varieties, we have 
been able to keep up a constant supply. 
A few remarks on their culture may be use¬ 
ful. We are now (February) taking off the 
cuttings for next season’s supply of plants. The 
right way to propagate these plants cannot be 
widely known, as in conversation with the pro¬ 
pagator of one of the large trade-growers I was 
told that they increase their stock by layering 
only. Now I never layer any of the true Per¬ 
petual-Flowering Carnations, but increase the 
stock from slips early in the year. Each plant 
will, at this season, be furnished with a number 
of side-growths. A sufficient number of these 
should be slipped off with the flngei's, and be 
inserted at once in well-drained 4-in. pots of 
sandy soil. I use a compost of nearly equal 
parts of loam, leaf-mould, and sand, the loam 
very slightly predominating; the pots are 
then plunged in a mild bottom-heat in the 
forcing-house, where there is a minimum 
temperature of 50°. Nearly all the cuttings 
will form roots, if squares of glass are laid 
down flat upon the labels protruding from 
the pots. I find if this is not done, many of 
them shrivel, while in a close frame they are 
No. 15. IMPERIAL series. 
liable to damp-off. AVhen rooted, pot the 
small plants off into thumb-pots, or small 
sixties, if they are strong, and place the pots on 
a shelf near the glass, in the same temperature, 
until the roots run down the sides of the pots. 
Repot the plants as they require it, and gradu¬ 
ally move them to a cool, greenhouse tempera¬ 
ture. AVhen the plants are about 6 in. high, 
pinch out the point of the leading growth. 
Some varieties will require to be pinched a 
second time, others it will not be necessary to 
stop at all after the first. 
I grow the plants in cool frames until the 
end of May or early in June, when they are 
placed out-of-doors until September. Insect 
pests, such as thrips and green-fly, should be 
destroyed by fumigating before the plants are 
placed out-of-doors. One stoutish stick of 
painted deal should be placed to each plant, 
and as growth is formed the stems should be 
tied to this—the centre stem close to the sticks, 
and the others tied in just enough, not too 
close, else the natural habit of the plant will 
be altered. The stems are easily snapped by 
the wind, if they are not secured in good time. 
When the plants are placed under glass in 
September, they must not be pushed into any 
corner, nor at a great distance from the glass. 
They will produce a few flowers during winter- 
in a cool greenhouse or vinery, but they will 
be of poor quality. If, however, kept in a 
rather dryish atmosphere and a temperature 
of about 50° at night, with just a touch 
of air on even at night, if frost is not in- 
D 
