tE^tt i^fjoliotienbron ^ocietp ^oteg. 
MONREITH, WIGTOWNSHIRE. 
The season 1919 has been exceptionally favourable for early flowering and 
early growing rhododendrons. The winter was very wet and mild tiU towards 
the end of January, when a cold speU came on vdth a minimum temperatiure 
of 15° Fahr. The weather throughout March was very cold, checking growdh 
on the plants which were ready to start vigorously when the temperature rose 
in April, and there was a complete absence of late spring frost, o\ving to the 
prevalence of cloud. 
Rliododendron barbatum, arboreum, Thomsonii, Shilsoxii, campylo- 
CARPUM, etc., made a splendid display. R. decorum, Franchet, was loaded 
with bloom, and many plants of R. decorum, Wilson, flowered freely. I was 
absent on the Continent throughout May ; when I returned I found two plants 
of R. Edgworthii, trained six feet high, one on a north wall, the other on an 
east wall, covered with their fragrant blossoms. These had received no pro¬ 
tection save that afforded by the walls. 
In 1917 I received some plants of R. sinogrande from Mr. J. C. Williams, 
which I planted out without protection. The spring frosts of 1918 destroyed 
the leading buds, but vigorous secondary gro\vth was made, and they passed 
through the winter of 1918-19 without the slightest injury. This species seems 
to be of similar hardihood to R. gr.\nde, Wight] that is, both, if well sheltered 
from wind, can resist any degree of \vinter cold that they are likely to encounter 
on the west coast : but, starting early in growth, they are apt to have their 
buds destroyed by spring frost. 
R. MAXIMUM, 10 feet high, being in a position exposed to the north, suffered 
severely from the violent north winds that prevailed throughout March and 
part of April. Some of its branches were killed outright, but it flowered freely 
in late June on the lee-side. 
We have only one plant of R. fulgens here, and, ha\'ing tried in vain to 
obtain others from various nurserymen, I shall be grateful for information as to 
where it can be found. 
R. GLAUCUM promised a great display ; but the extreme drought that pre¬ 
vailed throughout March and April interfered, causing most of the flowers to 
fail to open. 
HERBERT MAXWELL. 
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