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place, where a minimum of watering is required, and where accordingly they 
do not form fine foliage or strong flower-buds. Early Rhododendrons, if cul¬ 
tivated at all, must generally be grown in the open air. Mr. John Waterer, 
indeed, who is a great authority on this subject, is of opinion that they should 
not be so cultivated, and he strongly “ advises gentlemen on no account to 
introduce into their cluipps tender or early blooming kinds.” Of course, the 
late bloomers are to be preferred for the general collection, and it is a happy 
thing that we have so many brilliant varieties of that character. But we 
should hesitate to lop off a whole month from the beginning of the Rhodo¬ 
dendron season, and that at the very time that they are most wanted. We 
should be sorry to miss the bright scarlet or crimson blossoms of Nobleanum, 
or of other vernal sorts, from our spring bouquets. It is true that we some¬ 
times see the brilliant trusses of these varieties encrusted with snow, and still 
more frequently we find their half-opened buds blighted by the black frosts of 
March and April. Well, let it be so, if it must be so; but they not unfre- 
quently escape, like the charming R. dauricum atrovirens, which sometimes 
blooms as early as Christmas, and takes any opportunity of fresh weather to 
put in its appearance, and which, though often destroyed, is about the last shrub 
we should spare from our gardens. Early Rhododendrons, however, need not 
be destroyed by frosts. They may be effectually protected by light airy tents 
of tiffany or canvas. Suppose a well-selected group of these sorts to be 
planted in a sunny, sheltered corner of the flower garden—in a figure, let us 
say, of an elongated hexagonal or octagonal shape; posts, some 6 feet high, 
might be erected at the angles, with a few taller ones in the centre ; and on 
these a roof and side curtains might be suspended, the latter to be drawn 
aside in fair weather and sunshine. A clever gardener would have no difficulty 
in realising this suggestion. The posts might be covered by creeping plants 
in summer, and with a little ingenuity these out-of-doors extemporised con¬ 
servatories, might easily be made to harmonise with the permanent glazed 
structures set apart for the culture of plants. 
This suggestion implies the grouping of the various sorts of Rhododen¬ 
drons according to their periods of flowering. It would be a waste of space to 
put under canvas any that do not require protection. The principle of group¬ 
ing we are disposed to advocate for another reason, which is well understood in 
the autumnal flower garden. The only means of securing a compact array of 
blossoms is to plant together the varieties which bloom about the same time. 
The effect of a mass is greatly marred by the presence of plants, some of which 
have done flowering, while others have not expanded their flower-buds. It 
would be easy, by noting the dates of the flowering of the most desirable 
sorts—as is partially done in Mr. Standish’s excellent catalogue—to throw 
them into three, four, or five groups, according to the convenience of the 
place, or the magnitude of the collection. The following attempt at grouping 
will illustrate our meaning; only we beg that it may not be taken as exhaustive, 
many fine sorts being omitted, nor as professedly accurate, for we write chiefly 
from memory, aided by the above-mentioned catalogue, which does not include 
all the sorts named. In passing, we may express a wish that the Rhododendron 
nurserymen would follow Mr. Standish’s example in giving the dates of flower¬ 
ing, and that they would imitate the catholicity of the Rose-growers, who 
enumerate all good, varieties whether raised or introduced by themselves or not. 
Early Group. —Altaclerense, Russellianum, Nobleanum several varieties, 
Gloire de Gand, Cinnamomum Cunninghamii, Sun of Austerlitz, Limbatum, 
Sir Walter Scott, Broughtoni, Prince Camille de Rohan, &e. 
Medium Group. —Alarm, Album elegans, Atrosanguineum, Barclayanum, 
Blandyanum, Brayanum, Bylsianum, Coriaceum, Countess of Wilton, Currie- 
