JBt)t B^Jjobolientsron ^oteiEl. 
his best hybrids so the public are in complete ignorance of the wonderful hybrids 
he has produced. 
Within the past ten years Messrs. Koster & Sons, of Van Nes Boskoop, 
Holland, have paid much attention to the use of R. occidentale, and Messrs. 
Cuthbert (the English agent of the first-named firm) have been active in 
distributing such lovely and hardy hybrids of this species as " exquisite,” 
” MAGNIFICA,” “GRACIOSA,” and ‘‘ SUPERBA.” 
All of these are excellent garden plants and give effective displays annually 
in the garden if the flower-trusses are picked off as soon as they have faded. In 
recent years Mr. George Paul has paid some attention to improving Ghent 
Azaleas, and we would call the attention of members to two varieties of unusual 
excellence which he has created, namely, ” high beech scarlet ” (intense 
scarlet) and “ pink beauty,” a fine pink hybrid for planting in groups. 
In the cultivation of these plants it is well to remember that if the gardener 
wishes to have a fine display every year, it is just as essential to pick off the seed- 
pods as with other Rhododendrons. This is, we know, a trouble, and the faded 
flowers and seed vessels are not so easy to remove as in the case of the larger 
blooming Rhododendrons. Nevertheless, a little practice will make it easy and 
the result fully compensates for the work involved. They should also be well 
watered at the growing season, and especially when the beds are isolated on the 
lawn as is often the case. All these Azaleas give fine colours in bronze and red 
in the autumn before the leaves fall. If we wish to grow them to perfection they 
do best in the semi-shade of a wood. 
Ghent Azaleas are easily forced by taking into a greenhouse in January and 
subjecting them to ordinary forcing treatment. The market grov'ers gum the 
flowers when fully expanded by forcing gum between the calyx and corolla of 
each flower. When thus treated the flowers last for weeks. Before actually 
taking them into the drawing-room or hall, the plants should be placed in a 
lower temperature with more light. 
The choice of plants is always a matter of individual taste. The following 
are perhaps the best ” Ghent Azaleas ” now appearing in British and Continental 
catalogues :— 
“ AURORE DE Rhyghem,” golden-yellow, shaded with orange, upper lobes 
darker, large trusses of flowers. 
” FAMA,” mauve, with yellow spot. 
‘‘ GLORIA MUNDi,” vermilion, upper lobes entirely spotted with apricot-yellow. 
“ UNIQUE,” golden-yellow, shaded with orange, fine trusses of big flowers. 
“ BEAUTE CELESTE,” bright pink, upper lobes spotted with canary-yellow. 
“ BRILLIANT,” red flowers, orange on the reverse side. 
" JuLDA ScHUPP,” blood-red, large trusses and flowers. 
” BRONZE UNIQUE,” blood-red, spotted with vermilion. 
“ William II.”, orange. 
“ PINK BEAUTY,” pink. 
” HIGH BEECH SCARLET,” Scarlet. 
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