Ctje ^itjotBoisenbron ^ocietp Jloteg. 
Gardeners’ Chronicle, May 2^th, 1881. 
Being in Edinburgh early in April last, I did not omit to visit some of its 
Rhododendrons. Unfortunately I had not time to visit all. 
To begin with my ever-hospitable host, Mr. Anderson-Henry, he had, among 
others, a remarkably fine plant of R. fulgens in full bloom in a cold house. 
The brilliant scarlet of this species is almost unrivalled, and the truss is much 
more compact and fuller than that of R. Thomsonii, which in colour it resembles. 
The leaves are clothed beneath with a dense coppery tomentum, after the 
manner of R. campanulatum and Batemannii. A good figure is to be found 
in the Botanical Magazine.* Its early habit often prevents success, when it 
is treated as a wholly unprotected plant; but very slight protection suffices. 
Mr. Henry’s plant was in a pot, and not many feet high, and yet covered with 
a profusion of blossom. I have never seen a better type of the species. 
Mr. Boscawen has also a very fine plant, but of my pleasant visit to his 
plants more anon. 
An interesting Rhododendron was blooming close to Mr. Henry’s front 
door. The interest lay in the probability of its being a new species. It was 
labelled as having been raised from Indian seed, but we could not identify it. 
We thought it might be a natural hybrid. It had something of the character of 
R. Thomsonii, yet was very distinct. It should be watched when blooming in 
better form than after the late cruel winter. 
This last paragraph raises a most important question, viz., how far natural 
hybrids prevail among Rhododendrons. We know that under cultivation many 
verj^ distinct species freely interbreed and produce fertile progeny. M’e know 
that some of these species grow side by side on their native mountains. I have 
written to my correspondents near the spot, in the hope that they will investigate 
this question, which is of very great interest in connection with a genus so 
prolific of species growing in proximity. Sir J. Hooker, said of Sikkim : “ What 
surprised me more than the prevalence of Rhododendron bushes w'as the number 
of species of this genus ” ; and Beccari said of Borneo that almost every 
mountain peak had its own special forms. I trust to be in a position some day 
to lay further information before my readers. The Rhododendrons of Messrs. 
Downie & Laird, of Edinburgh, are well known, but their Easter show quite 
astonished me. In their winter garden (which every one should visit), stood 
splendid plants of hardy hybrids in full bloom, such as one rarely sees anywhere, 
and which betokened years of care and skill. From the street the view was 
brilliant, and, on entering, quite dazzling. Trees 10 and 12 feet high, and many 
feet through, stood up and down and across the large glasshouse, and all seemed 
to be at their best—pictures of health and vigour, and ablaze with blossoms. 
I found out later that these plants were not the first, nor would they be the last, 
in the succession of Rhododendrons which this house displays every spring. 
“John Waterer” and “Michael Waterer ” were there, of course, and 
* Plate 6317. 
Mr. Anderson- 
Henry's 
Rhododendrons. 
Natural hybrids. 
Rhododendrons at 
Messrs. Downie 
and Laird’s, 
Edinburgh. 
81 
