THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
46 1 
may ask, with an eye to grace and beauty exhibited through¬ 
out the year, rather than restricted to a period of a couple of 
weeks, would not prefer a fine clump of rhododendrons to 
an expensive Japanese maple, attractive though the later 
may be in summer time when it has hundreds of worthy 
competitors; or who would not prefer a graceful, well grown 
Carolina hemlock to a ragged and unhappy Japanese cy¬ 
press? It may be further stated that the sanest of the 
landscape architects are now using larger quantities of 
natives than was formerly the custom, and they are bring¬ 
ing fuller satisfaction. Good examples of plantings in 
which natives occupied a prominent place with excellent 
effect were to be seen at the Jamestown Exposition, Norfolk, 
and at the recent Alaska-Yukon Exposition at Seattle. 
No small part of the change of front in regard to the use 
Home of Harlan P. Kelsey, Salem, Mass. 
of natives is due to the advocacy of these plants and the 
demonstration of their value by the Highlands Nursery 
and also to the further important fact that when a supply 
was needed it was known where it could be secured. The 
stock of all important forms has been very largely increased 
to meet this demand and the “collecting of best strains of 
native seeds and plants has become a leading feature in the 
annual routine of Highlands Nursery work.’’ 
One of the prime specialties is the hardy, broad-leaved 
evergreens. More than a century ago John Bartram and 
his successor, Humphrey Marshall, the pioneer collectors of 
Pennsylvania, sent Rhododendron catawbiense to England 
and Europe. Its great beauty and general utility were 
promptly recognized, it became very popular and is now one 
of the prized American plants in Britain and has become 
one of the parents of a large number of hybrids, many of 
which have been sent back to this country. The ease with 
which exotics can be secured and the mistaken notion on the 
part of many that all rhododendrons and all plants secured 
from foreign countries were of foreign origin, has tended to 
keep American grown plants somewhat in the background. 
We recall a conversation with a foreman of a prominent 
English nursery who in displaying with pardonable pride a 
magnificent specimen of Rhododendron catawbiense asked 
if it was adapted to American conditions, or at all well 
known in our country! We were obliged to say that it was 
not nearly as well known as its merits deserved and this like 
a good many of our fine ornamentals were handicapped by 
being natives. The Highlands Nursery ships young or 
mature clumps, small or large, from either the Carolina head¬ 
quarters or the Salem branch. The Nursery has developed 
a satisfactory system of handling these plants from the 
wildling stage, as found in the open, to the stage with strong, 
vigorous, transplantable roots and lusty, well branched tops. 
There is a wonderful difference between the value of these 
A Promising Nurseryman in Foreground. 
domesticated plants and the so-called “collected” clumps 
which are frequently used. The directions provided by the 
Highlands Nursery emphasize the point that if success is to 
be attained limey soil must be avoided, plenty of leaf mould, 
or humus bearing material must be given, and an abundant 
mulch must be provided. Where special shade is available 
it must be used to advantage, especially in winter time. 
THE NATIVE AZALEAS 
These are closely related to the broad-leaved evergreens 
and differ chiefly in character of flower and in the fact that 
the leaves are deciduous. They are of scarcely less im¬ 
portance than rhododendrons to American planters. The 
Highlands Nursery from its first establishment has been 
keenly interested in the propagation of this group of beauti¬ 
ful shrubs. The treatment of these is essentially the same 
as rhododendrons. They should, like the rhododendrons be 
massed for best effect. The frontispiece in this issue sug¬ 
gests as clearly as possible by the use of black and white, 
the exquisite delicacy of the flowers. These are the kinds 
