Azalea Lach-house 
AZALEAS 
Azaleas are, without doubt, the most beautiful 
flowering plants we have in the South. Their season 
of blooming is very long, beginning with winter-flower¬ 
ing Vittata Fortunei and extending into June when the 
pretty dwarf Macrantha is eovered with its soft orange- 
pink blossoms. All Azaleas are profuse bloomers, and 
in the spring each plant is a solid mass of color. 
All types of Azaleas are easily grown, if a few rules 
are followed. They require a good, well-drained soil 
that has a slight acid reaction. The addition of leaf- 
mold, peat, and, in very heavy, stiff soil, a small 
quantity of sand, is always beneficial. Leaf-mold and 
peat help maintain an acid soil and a mulch of leaves 
is good to retain moisture and to furnish plant-food for 
the next year. Azaleas are shallow rooted and require 
an abundance of water in dry weather, especially 
young plants. Watering among the foliage with a hose 
is desirable as a strong spray holds thrip and red spider 
in check. 
Partial shade is desirable in planting, but dense 
shade should be avoided. A lath-house is well suited 
for growing plants in nursery. They should be fertilized 
sparingly; a light application of cottonseed meal about 
three times a year is one of the best treatments. It 
should be remembered that plants having a quantity 
of large sappy growth produce far less flowers and are 
much more likely to be killed by freezing weather than 
slower-growing plants of the same variety. 
Lining-out size Azaleas offered here were rooted 
last spring and planted in beds early in summer, giving 
plenty of space for full development of strong root 
systems and bushy tops, and are far superior to 2L^-inch 
potted plants, having roots enough to fill a 3-inch pot 
which has twice the capacity of a 2L^-inch pot. 
We have thousands of lining-out size Azaleas ready 
for immediate delivery, but since these small plants 
3 
