1372. ] 
THE RHODODENDRON A8 A HARDY EVERGREEN. 
151 
from splitting, even if it is not tied at all. By thus keeping the pods from 
splitting, the blooms keep much more compact and circular in form. 
As soon as any of the blooms begin to open, they should be protected from 
the rain. This may be accomplished by setting them in a greenhouse, provided 
plenty of air can be given—which is very essential. Constant attention to 
watering is also absolutely necessary during the time they are in bloom, so as not 
to allow them to get too dry. The plants should be shaded from the sun, but 
should have as much light and air as possible at all times. Should the weather 
be very hot and dry, the foliage of the plants should be sprinkled once or twice 
a day, avoiding to wet the blooms. This will be a great assistance to, and will 
thus help to prolong, the bloom, besides which it will be beneficial to the u grass.” 
When the plants have done flowering they should be returned to the open 
air, so as to get the shoots in good condition for layering, which operation 
should be performed early in August. The process, which is a very simple one, 
is this :—Prepare some light rich sandy soil; stir the soil out of the pots to a 
depth of about two inches, and fill up with the prepared soil; the layers should 
then have the leaves cut off to within the third or fourth joint from the top ; 
then take the layer in the left hand, and with a very sharp knife make an inci¬ 
sion in the under side, beginning about half an inch below the third joint, and 
extending it upwards through the centre of the stem, about half an inch past 
the third joint, cutting off the lower end or heel of this u tongue ” just below the 
joint. The layer will then require to be pegged down. A most suitable peg for 
this purpose can be made from the common brake fern used in a green state. 
Take care not to press the layer more than half an inch deep in the soil, as they 
root much better when shallow, and keep them as upright as possible. In dry 
weather the layers should be frequently sprinkled with a fine rose water-pot, so as 
to keep the soil in a moist state. In about a month or six weeks they will be 
sufficiently rooted to be taken off and potted into small pots.— John Ball, Slough. 
THE RHODODENDRON AS A HARDY EVERGREEN. 
HOUGH the Rhododendron is rightly considered as a hardy evergreen 
shrub, there can be no question that increased hardiness or robustness of 
f constitution is a point which, even now, the raisers of new varieties would 
do well to be constantly aiming to secure. Many of the varieties now 
cultivated owe their parentage more or less directly to the Rhododendron ponti - 
cum of Asia Minor, or the R. arboreum of India; and experience has shown that 
whilst varieties in which the blood of R. ponticum is freely mingled, suffer in 
extreme winters from the destruction or deterioration of their dormant blossom- 
buds, though the plants themselves may be hardy enough, as far as their vegeta¬ 
tive organs are concerned, the high-coloured sorts in which the blood of R. 
arboreum is present, even though filtered down by subsequent crosses with hardier 
kinds, manifest a degree of tenderness both in leaf and flower which gives but 
little hope of a fine display of blossoms in spring. 
