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RHODODENDRON ARBOREUM AND ITS INTRODUCTION. 
Contributed by Lieut.-Colonel Sir David Prain and Mr. W. J. Bean. 
Next to R. PONTicuM and R. catawbiense no Rhododendron ever introduced 
has had so great an influence on the evergreen garden hybrids of this genus as 
R. ARBOREUM, that is, the crimson-flowered type with leaves silvery beneath. 
Previous to its introduction, the species in cultivation, probably not more than 
ten in all, had flowers varying only in colour from white to pink and purple. 
R. ARBOREUM was the first, and has remained the chief, source of those rich 
scarlet or blood-red shades which belong to the most brilliantly coloured of the 
hardier hybrids, such as " Doncaster ” or “ Michael Waterer.” Yet a 
certain mystery surrounds the introduction of this Rhododendron as a living 
plant to this country. 
Neither of the Aitons in their editions of the Hortus Kewensis, the last 
of which—the Epitome, by W. T. Aiton—was published in 1814, mentions 
R. ARBOREUM, although it is certain that seeds had been sent to England in 
1796 or 1797. Mr. J. G. Millais in this Society’s Notes (page 31), says that 
Wallich sent seed to Mr. Shepherd, of Liverpool, in 1814. Is he not here 
confusing the introduction of R. arboreum with that of its white variety album, 
which latter plant Sir William Hooker in the Botanical Magazine, in 1834, 
under tab. 3290, states “ was raised from seeds sent by Dr. Wallich to 
Mr. Shepherd, of Liverpool, about 20 years ago” (i.e., 1814) ? 
The information as to the source and agency of this introduction is as precise 
as could be desired. It is less definite as regards the date. We know, however, 
from other sources that seeds of the wktle arboreum cannot have been collected 
by Wallich 20 years before the publication of the plate in the Botanical 
Magazine. The suggestion may have been due to the circumstance that in 
the year 1814 Wallich actually was under orders to proceed to Nepal for the 
purpose of joining the Army. But Wallich had not left Calcutta on 23rd 
December of that year, when it was decided to instruct him to remain at 
headquarters in order that he might assume temporary charge of the Calcutta 
Botanic Garden, when Buchanan, the Superintendent, should retire in the 
following year. Wallich did in fact assume charge on 24th February, 1815, and 
continued to act as Superintendent until 20th April, 1816, when he reverted to 
military duty ; it was not until 1st August, 1817, that Wallich, who had in the 
meantime been appointed permanent Superintendent by the Court of Directors 
in London, once more assumed charge of the Botanic Garden. 
It may have been contemporary acquaintance with the fact that, during 
the earlier portion of that year, Wallich was not at the Botanic Garden, which 
led Loudon and subsequent writers to give the date of the introduction of the 
red ARBOREUM as 1817. But apart from the fact that Wallich did not visit 
Nepal until some years later, the circumstance that the red arboreum had 
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