196 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
Azaleas and Rhododendrons Worth Planting 
By C. IF. J. Ottolander, F. & F. Nurseries, Springfield, N. J. 
T AKEN ill general Azalea’s are not very adaptable 
tica. They are very attractive but do not stand 
in this country especially Azalea mollis and pon- 
up very well, soil and climatic conditions don’t seem to 
agree with them, unless special pains are taken in select¬ 
ing a protected spot, supplying the plants with plenty 
of humus to insure constant moisture at the root. Fresh 
manure should never be used when planting them. 
Azalea mollis is the most attractive one, on account of 
the large brilliant flowers, but somehow l like Azalea 
pontica better, they are a more refined group. The 
flowers appear when the leaves come on the plants. The 
flowers are well shaped, beautifully colored and quite 
fragrant. The finest planting I have ever seen of these 
plants is on the Hunnewell Estate, near Boston, a large 
group of large plants up to 8 feet high is growing in a 
well chosen spot between big Pines and Hemlocks, which 
serve as a background and set off the brilliant coloring 
to great advantage. When I saw them it was morning, 
the sun seemed as being reflected several times by the 
brilliant colors, while the soft green background made 
them all the more attractive. 
The following kinds are my favorites and have been 
found to be about the hardiest, though there are quite a 
number of varieties which are nearly as good. 
Sang de Gandbruges, blood-red, brilliant color. 
Byou de Gandbruges, soft red. 
Bouquet de Fleurs, salmon pink. 
Raphael de Smet, double pink, light color. 
Daviesi, nearly white, large flower. 
August Mechelynk, pink. 
Nancy Waterer, a copper yellow, large flower, very 
attractive. 
The large flowers of Azalea mollis are as said before, 
very attractive and make this group in great demand. 
Regarding the selection of soil and location to them ap¬ 
plies the same as to the Azalea pontica, though they are 
stronger and will not suffer so much from the winter. 
The seedlings give us a very choice lot of flowers, rang¬ 
ing in color from white, yellow, pink and red, into inter¬ 
mediate shadings. 
The best red and yellow, named kinds is the J. G. Van 
Tol, which comes in both colors and is decidedly superior, 
the flowers being very large. 
A cross between Azalea mollis and Azalea sinensis has 
produced several varieties, one of the best of them being 
Azalea mollis X sinensis, Anthony Foster, a brilliant 
orange yellow, large flower a decided acquisition worth 
planting. These are all distinguishable from the ordinary 
Azalea mollis by the deep orange markings in the throat 
of the flower, all of them are very readily forced, which 
makes them a desirable plant for the florist trade also. 
The Japan Azaleas, the best of which is Azalea Ilano- 
di-giri, offer a large field for experimenting. Hano-di- 
giri is the most attractive so far and has proven to be the 
most hardy, though it does not stand up very well. The 
scarlet mass of flowers produced in May make it a most 
desirable plant. 
Azalea Yodogama and Indica alba are two kinds which 
should be planted, the first is of a fine delicate shade of 
lilac, while the latter produces large white flowers, 
neither of them is evergreen, however. 
Azalea or Rhododendron Kaempferi, is one of the 
newer kinds, perfectly hardy, as can be seen in the Ar¬ 
nold arboretum where big specimen plants can be seen 
in full flower. It is very free flowering, with soft pink 
flowers, foliage not very large, but attractive shining 
green, nearly adhering to the plants in the winter, makes 
this kind one of the coming varieties, worth introducing 
to the public, it will certainly compete with the popular- 
CHAS. M. SIZEMORE 
J. H. DAYTON 
WM. PITKIN 
Louisiana, Mo. 
Chairman Transportation Committee 
American Association of Nurserymen. 
Painesville, Ohio 
Chairman of the Finance Committee 
American Association of Nurserymen. 
Rochester, N. Y. 
Chairman of Legislative Committee 
East of Mississippi River 
American Association of Nurserymen. 
