1372 .] 
FLOWER-GARDEN MANAGEMENT.-JULY. 
153 
sistent foliage, such as not only in the blooming season sets off the flowers to 
better advantage, but during the greater portion of the year, when the plants are 
not in bloom, marks them out as evergreen shrubs of the first order. The advan¬ 
tages to be derived from the infusion of this hardy constitution becomes at once 
evident when circumstances prove adverse. At Knap Hill, one of the chief 
homes of the Rhododendron in this country, we have seen these varieties of R. 
ccitawbiense with the buds fresh and full of life, at the same time—the winter of 
1870-71, for example—that those of varieties bred from R. ponticum , when cut 
across, showed many of the embryo flowers blackened and lifeless, and that those 
with the blood of R. cirboreum appreciable in their aspect were hopelessly destroyed. 
Such destructive winter frosts as that just noted are, fortunately, rare. They 
are not, however, the only risks to which the Rhododendron- blossoms are exposed. 
Late spring frosts, such as that of last Whitsuntide, come swooping down upon 
the plants like an eagle on its prey, and few of them could be expected under such 
circumstances to escape serious injury to their buds. But we have recently 
noticed at Knap Hill, where the breeding of these fine-leaved R. ccitawbiense 
varieties has, for many years, been most successfully carried on, that there are 
some sorts which bear up even against this crucial test of hardiness. This is 
the case with the variety called R. roseum elegans , represented in the 
annexed figure from Mr. Anthony Waterer’s Catalogue, one of the early removes 
from the typical R. ccitawbiense , and unquestionably the best of all Rhododendrons 
for growing on into the tree form, since, under proper treatment, it always 
maintains a densely leafy head ; this variety was untouched, the immense 
standard specimens being smothered with perfectly-developed trusses of delicately 
tinted rosy blossoms, while many others growing round about it of the ordinary 
rank and file were more or less crippled. The following sorts, too, which rank 
amongst modern varieties of the highest excellence both as to leaf and flower, 
were unaffected by the weather, namely, Edward S. Rand , James Bateman , Mrs. 
Milner, and H. W- Sargent , all fine bold varieties, of various shades of colour 
between crimson and rose ; Caractcicus , a rich purplish crimson ; and Old Port , 
a fine and very distinct plum-coloured sort. These were everywhere conspicuous 
by their grand trusses of untarnished flowers. 
None of our hardy flowering shrubs at all compare for beauty with the 
Rhododendrons ; and in a favourable season—which this is not—a day amongst 
these plants is truly a red-letter day.—T. M. 
FLOWER-GARDEN MANAGEMENT.—JULY. 
HE heavy rains of the past month came very opportunely for bedded-out 
plants, and saved a deal of labour in watering ; we only want a little hot 
sunny weather now, to make our gardens gay and beautiful. Any blanks 
that may occur in the beds or borders should be at once filled up. Con¬ 
stant, unceasing attention is now necessary to keep everything neat and in 
proper order ; pick off dead leaves and flowers, and allow no straggling growths 
