422 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 6, 1886. 
The soil most suitable for the Rhododendron, the one 
in which it is more often found and in which it thrives 
the best, is a good rich fibrous peat, but the absence of 
this need not deter intending planters, as a soil in 
which Rhododendrons may be grown most satisfactorily 
can be prepared at little trouble or cost. They will 
grow in good sandy loam almost, if not as well, as they 
do in peat, and any loamy soil mixed with leaf-mould 
or other decayed vegetable matter, with a mixture of 
sand, is all that is needed to ensure success. Situation 
has very much to do with the successful cultivation of 
Rhododendrons, they prefer shelter and shade, and, 
therefore, a position exposed to strong currents of wind 
and in the glaring sunshine all day should be avoided. 
It may here be remarked that Rhododendrons are very 
often used to form screens, and the better to attain the 
object in view they are planted on a raised bank. The 
idea, no doubt, is to combine beauty with usefulness, 
but it will be found, with few exceptions, that both 
will be but short lived under such conditions. If there 
must be a bank, plant it with a selection of shrubs 
suitable for the position, these will form the necessary 
blind and will afford a good back-ground to a bank of 
Rhododendrons, which may be planted at the base if 
the border is extended on the flat, then the water from 
the bank will run down or percolate from it to the 
advantage of the Rhododendrons. 
From this it will be gathered that moisture is 
necessary to their well being. It must not, however, 
be supposed that they like what may be termed wet 
ground, moist it should be, but free from anything like 
stagnant water at their roots ; where this is likely to 
occur, the beds or borders should be well drained, 
particularly where the natural soil is retentive and 
likely to hold water, which, at certain seasons of the 
year would, in all probability, be in a state more fit for 
aquatics than for Rhododendrons; although pretty well" 
understood, it may as well be here stated, that Rhodo¬ 
dendrons and kindred plants do not thrive in a soil 
containing chalk or lime. The pinning of Rhododen¬ 
drons is neither so well understood nor carried on as it 
ought to be, with the view to prevent a straggling and 
over-grown appearance. This is due, in a great measure, 
to early neglect in the use of the knife; some kinds are 
more apt than others to make strong growths, which, 
if allowed to remain, spoil the symmetry of the plant; 
all such shoots should be cut back, and March or April 
is the best time to do it, or they may be pruned when 
they have done flowering, and at the same time all the 
seed-pods should be removed. This is very necessary 
to their successful cultivation. 
When Rhododendrons out-grow the situation in 
which they are planted, it is best to take them all up 
and re-arrange the whole ; this may be done most 
satisfactorily, first by taking away all the over-grown 
or unsightly plants, which may be cut back all over 
and planted in the reserve garden for future use, the 
others may then be planted a stage back and the 
deficiency made up with young plants. We must not 
conclude these remarks without noticing the dwarf 
section of Rhododendrons, as although wanting in the 
size and brilliancy in the flowers, their dwarf habit and 
neat foliage of various tints, recommends them as 
plants well suited to form edgings to beds of the larger 
growing varieties, also for beds in any arrangement of 
arborescent bedding ; they may also be planted with 
advantage singly on rockwork. At another time I may 
return to the subject, giving lists and descriptions of 
some of the most desirable varieties. — G. T. 
-->X<-- 
NOTES ON CACTUS DAHLIAS. 
It is admitted by all who have seen the so-called 
Cactus and Semi-Cactus Dahlias in perfection, that 
they are certainly among the most beautiful and effec¬ 
tive of late summer and autumn flowering jilants that 
can be grown. In habit, they are similar to other 
Dahlias, but in the shape and character of their flowers 
they are entirely distinct. We now have a variety of 
forms, all of light and elegant construction, which, 
combined with their freedom of flowering, and chaste 
appearance, render them invaluable for cut flower 
purposes, for which they are particularly adapted. 
Being late flowering, they should, when possible, be 
secured in pot roots ; for I find from experience that 
they bloom quite a month earlier than spring struck 
plants. Pot roots should be started in a 'warm corner 
of the house or frame any time in March, using small 
pots, and any light potting compost that may be handy, 
taking care not to pot them too deep. The crown of 
the tuber should be just about level with the surface of 
the soil. 
When they have commenced to grow, and the shoots 
are about an inch long, remove them into a light airy 
position, so that they may not become drawn. When 
the roots fill the pots, they should be potted into 5-in. or 
6-in. pots, in a compost of two parts of loam, and one 
of rotten manure, with a little sand added. In this 
potting, the tubers should be buried about an inch 
under the soil. About the middle of April stand them 
in a frame, where, on all mild genial days the lights 
can be moved right off, care being taken to put them 
on again at night to protect from frost and cold. 
Plants treated in this way, will make fine strong robust 
subjects by the first week in June, when they can be 
planted out. The ground previous to planting should 
be well dug and manured, and a stake driven firmly 
into the ground where each plant is to go. When they- 
are planted, secure them to the stake at once, for they 
are easily broken, and a broken plant means a month 
later for bloom ; after this, if the ground can be covered 
with manure, so much the better. During hot dry 
weather give an abundance of water every day; and it 
will be well to bear in mind, that after plants have 
started in the ground, they can hardly have too much 
water. By the above plan, I have cut bushels of flowers 
from a comparatively small number of plants. I 
give below a list of names of the best of those that I 
have grown. There is no doubt, that in the future, 
this class will become as popular as the Japanese 
Chrysanthemum. 
Juarezii. —Rich crimson, bushy flower of striking 
appearance. 
Mr. A. IF. Tait. —White, most peculiar and pretty, 
very un-Dalilia like ; fimbriated petals much like a 
fimbriated reflexed Chrysanthemum ; extra good for 
cutting. 
Cochineal. —An intermediate form between a Cactus 
and show' variety ; violet-crimson, toned with a browm 
shade, very free and useful ; a lady’s favourite. 
Annie Harvey. —Crimson-maroon ; one of the most 
striking large flowers with irregular shaped petals. 
Constance.— Pure white, called the Camellia Dahlia 
owing to its elegant shaped flowers. 
Lord Lyndhurst. —Called a scarlet Constance ; lovely 
reddish scarlet, a wonderful bloomer, will grow in poor 
soil. 
Germania Nova. —A very remarkable variety, being 
a new and beautiful shape, of a lovely mauve-rose 
colour. 
Prince Imperial. —Purple, semi-double flowers with 
peculiar shaped petals. 
Fire King.- Small well-formed flowers of a dazzling 
scarlet, remarkable free flowering. 
Mrs. Hawkins. —Sulphur-yellow, toned lighter at the 
edge of petals ; a splendid variety. —Henry J. Jones, 
Hope Nursery, Lewisham. 
-—>*<-- 
VITIS HETEROPHYLLA. 
Ajiong hardy plants that are adapted for pot culture 
this variegated Vine is one of the most distinct and 
useful for general decorative purposes. When grown 
under favourable circumstances, the variegation will be 
very perfect, and plants with three or more shoots 
growui in 48-size pots and trained to sticks about 3 ft. 
long, will be found very effective where a few tall plants 
of a light character are required. It will also be found 
very serviceable for cutting from, the long slender 
shoots being particularly adapted for epergne v'ork. 
Yitis heterophylla may be readily propagated from 
cuttings of the young shoots in the spring. If a few 
plants can be started in heat, so as to get the cuttings 
early, it will give a better chance of establishing good 
plants the same season. As soon as the cuttings are 
rooted they should be potted off singly, and if grown 
on freely in heat they will soon require potting on into 
48-size pots. The plants may be stopjred once or twice 
during the early part of their growth. They should 
then be allowed to make as much growth as possible, 
and should be stood out of doors during the autumn to 
ripen off, and if kept dry during the winter they will be 
ready for forcing the following spring ; any good light 
compost may be used for potting. 1 may add that the 
variegation will not be so good in the young plants 
that are grown on freely ; but if grown on without 
being re-potted the following year, although the first 
few leaves will be green the variegation will soon appear, 
and the leaves of the lateral shoots will be almost white 
the stems of a rosy pink ; the extremities of the main 
shoots will also assume the same character.— H. 
SELECT PLANTS FOR ROCKERY 
BORDER. 
In order to fulfill a promise made in your issue for 
November 21st (p. 180), I will now give a list of good 
and useful subjects, all perfectly hardy, easily grown, 
and such as are calculated to give satisfaction provided 
they are liberally treated. The whole of the plants 
cited are true perennials and alpines. The only 
abbreviation which I shall use is the letter B, in 
which case the reader will understand that the plants 
are either bulbous or tuberous rooted. For the further 
benefit of those unacquainted with them I will divide 
them roughly into three groups, according to then- 
height, but for which some allowance must be made, 
seeing that many plants differ considerably in the 
vigour of their growth on certain soils and certain 
seasons. 
1 .—Plants not exceeding 1 ft. in height generally. 
Acantliolinum glumaceum 
Achillea umbellata 
,, tomentosa 
Allium moly (B) 
Adonis pyrenaica 
,, vernalis 
Ajuga Brockbankii 
,, Genevensis 
Alyssum saxatile com- 
pactum 
,, „ fol. var. 
,, utriculatum 
,, "Wiersbecki 
Anagallis tenella, moisture 
loving 
Androsace lanuginosa 
,, sarmentosa 
Anemone alpina 
,, apennina (B) 
,, blanda (B) 
„ fulgens (B) 
,, nemorosa fl. pi. (B) 
,, narcissiflora 
,, pulsatilla 
,, ranunculoides (B) 
,, Robinsoniana (B) 
,, coronaria in var. (B) 
Antennaria tomentosa 
Anomatheca cruenta (B) 
Aquilegia ccerulea 
,, pyrenaica 
Arnebia echioides 
Arabis albidus fol. var. 
Arenaria balearica 
,, purpurascens 
Armeria ceplialotus 
,, alpina grandiflora 
Aster alpinus 
,, ,, albus 
Asperula odorata 
Aubretias (any) 
Bulbocodium veruum (B) 
Calliprora lutea (B) 
Calochortus & Cyclobothra 
(B), all lovely bulbous 
plants 
Chionodoxa Lucilke (B) 
Campanula alpina 
,, carpatica 
,, ,, alba 
,, Hendersoni 
,, Haylodgensis 
,, isophylla 
,, ,, alba 
,, pulla 
,, pumila 
,, ,, alba 
,, Raineri 
,, turbinata, in variety 
Corydalis nobilis (B) 
Crucianella stylosa coc- 
cinea 
Crocus speciosus (B) 
,, vernus, in variety (B) 
Cheiranthus alpinus 
Cypripedium aeaule 
Dianthus alpinus 
,, cruentus 
,, barbatus magnificus 
,, Napoleon III 
,, Mrs. Simpkins 
Dielytra eximia 
Dodecatheons (any) 
Erigeron aurantieus 
Erinus alpinus 
Eranthus hyemalis 
Erythroniums, in var. (B) 
Ficaria grandiflora 
Fritillaria meleagris, 
variety (B) 
—J. 
Galanthus (any) (B) 
Genista tinctoria fl. pi. 
Gentiana acaulis 
,, vema 
,, septemfida 
„ gelida 
Geranium einereum 
Geum montanum 
Hyacinthus amethystinus 
(B) 
,, ,, albus (B) 
Helleborus niger 
,, maximus, and any 
others 
Hepaticas, in variety 
Iris reticulata (B) 
,, pumila, various 
,, nudicaulis 
Iberis corifolia 
,, sempervirens plena 
,, Gibraltarica 
Leucojum vernum 
Megaseas, in variety 
Narcissus bulbocodium (B) 
,, cernuus and var. 
plenus (B) 
,, minor (B) 
,, moschatus (B) 
Onosma taurica 
CEnothera macrocarpa 
,, acaulis 
Papaver nudicaule 
Pentstemon heterophyllus 
Primula acaulis (single and 
double) 
,, Sieboldii, in var. 
,, rosea 
,, auricula 
Phlox setacea, in many 
varieties (B) 
,, verna 
,, Listoniana rubra 
Ramondia pyrenaica 
Scillas or Squills, in many 
varieties (B) 
Sternbergia lutea (B) 
Saxifraga granulata pi. (B) 
,, liirculus, moist loving 
,, museoides atro- 
purpurea 
,, ccespitosa 
,, liypnoides 
,, cuneata 
,, ligulata (Megasea) 
,, Wallacei 
Sedum spectabile 
,, asiaticum 
Senecio doronieum 
Silene alpestris 
,, maritima fl. pi. 
Sisyrinchium grandiflorum 
(B) 
,, ,, album (B) 
Thalictrum adiantifolium 
Tritelia uniflora (B) 
,, ,, lilacina (B) 
Tiarella cordifolia 
Trillium grandiflorum (B) 
,, ,, praecox 
,, ,, maximum 
Tropaeolum polypliyllum 
Tulipa Greigii (B) 
Veronica repens 
,, prostrata 
,, gentianoides fol. var. 
Zauschneria californica 
Zephyranthes atamasco (B) 
,, Candida (B). 
in 
( To be continued.) 
