JANUARY. 15 
the soil prevents their going off in this way, and I saw, some time ago, 
one of your contemporaries lending the sanction and currency of its 
columns to this fancy. ~ It is, undoubtedly, proper that Azaleas as well 
as other hard-wooded plants should have the collar fairly clear of the soil, 
and that no branches should be allowed to issue for an inch or two 
above this, and this whether grafted or on their own roots. But how 
any person can conceive why long bare stems can render the part where 
the mischief invariably oceurs any less liable to decay, I cannot imagine. 
At all events, I have ample evidence that it does not, and I think I may 
safely say that the only certain preventive is grafting upon a proper 
stock. But if all this is correct, it certainly is time that buyers should 
be able to procure worked plants of any variety when they order it in 
this state, and this from any nurseryman offering the variety, and I 
hope this will soon be the case. I would not, however, be understood 
as wishing to insinuate that because most or all of the really good 
varieties of the Azalea do better grafted upon Pheenicea than on their 
own roots, nurserymen should propagate all their stock in this way. 
All that I wish is that myself and others, who prefer grafted plants, 
should be able to procure them from any party offering the varieties ; 
and that when a nurseryman receives an order for plants of varieties 
which are known to do better grafted than upon their own roots, worked 
plants should be sent, and that the practice of using for stocks any free 
growing variety which may be most plentiful should be discontinued, 
and only Pheenicea or some other equally suitable variety, if such 
exists, used for this purpose. There must be a demand for the class of 
plants which are sold at 12s. per dozen, otherwise they would not be 
so frequently advertised as they are, and, whilst these are called for, 
there can be no reason why the trade should not supply them. But 
there can, I think, be as little cause why those who are willing to give 
the price demanded should not be supplied with well propagated 
promising plants, such as would give satisfaction to the buyer and do 
credit to the seller. 
As to new varieties, I shall buy no more importations from the 
continent unless they are recommended by some one besides the parties 
offering them for sale. And now that the Horticultural Society has 
formed a floral committee on a basis sufficiently broad and liberal to 
ensure for its awards the confidence of the public, and which will meet 
sufficiently often to afford the holders of new plants an opportunity of 
submitting to the judgment of competent censors such as may bloom 
when they cannot be shown at any of the great exhibitions, I hope there 
will henceforth be such a small demand for varieties offered, with no 
other character than that given them by their owners, as will, despite 
the power of advertising, speedily extinguish this portion of the trade ; 
at all events, I shall buy only such varieties as may have the commen - 
dation of some competent and independent authority, and I think I 
shall run but little risk of missing anything worth having. 
8. KIMBALLEON. 

