ON GRAFTING THE CHINESE AZALEA. 
77 
ON GRAFTING THE CHINESE AZALEA. 
In calling the attention of the readers of The Florist's Journal 
to the subject of these remarks, I am actuated by the hope that 
it may assist in bringing this handsome tribe of plants more 
prominently forward, particularly amongst amateurs. I cannot 
understand why they have been allowed to remain so long in 
the back ground, for it is notorious that you may go into a great 
number of gentlemen’s places at the present time, and find only 
a miserable specimen or two of Indica alba and Phcenicea , or 
perhaps none at all, while by the amateur cultivator they seem 
to have been entirely overlooked. As I before said, I cannot 
understand the reason of this ; it cannot be that they are of 
difficult cultivation, for that is decidedly not the case ; neither 
can it be their price, for it is rarely that the price of a new one 
is half so much as that of a new pelargonium, yet I never saw 
a pelargonium that I could admire half so much as I have well- 
bloomed plants of Azalea variegata , A. Gledstanesii and others. 
I am well aware my taste in this particular will be questioned 
by some, but I think the effect before noticed may be partially 
accounted for by the precarious existence of some of the best 
varieties; the reason of this I shall not now attempt to explain, 
or I should trespass too far on your valuable pages, but shall 
proceed at once to suggest a remedy for this admitted evil. That 
they are so is too well known to myself and others : the re¬ 
medy consists in grafting or inarching the Chinese varieties on 
some more durable and luxuriant growing kind, such as Phcenicea 
or Indica alba (I prefer the former as a stock, but in its absence 
would not reject the latter), or strong growing seedling plants 
of either kinds, which may not be worth retaining, as distinct 
varieties may here be made to serve a very useful purpose. 
The first week in July is the time I select for performing the 
operation in the following manner: — for grafting choose as 
many stocks as it is intended to work, having the cuttings 
ready; with a sharp knife make a slight incision in the stock 
downwards, being very careful not to cut the piece of bark off; 
h 3 
