Hardiness and Quality Ratings 
The symbols which follow the variety names are significant in that they 
represent the hardiness and quality ratings of the British and American Rhodo- 
dendron Societies. From these symbols, the customer is able to determine with 
reasonable accuracy the varieties best suited to his climate. 
The British Ratings are as follows: 
A—Hardy and will stand full exposure. 
B—Hardy but requires partial shade for best results. 
C—Hardy along the coast and in sheltered places in inland gardens. 
The asterisk (*) following the letters A, B, or C indicate the quality rating 
of the variety in question. Four asterisks signify top rating. Where there are no 
asterisks it means that the variety is too new to be rated. 
The American Ratings are as follows: 
H-1—Hardy to 25 degrees below zero. (These varieties should be hardy in 
southern New York and southern New England. ) 
H-2—Hardy to 15 degrees below zero. 
H-3—Hardy to 5 degrees below zero. (These varieties should be fairly hardy 
on Long Island and around Philadelphia. ) 
H-4—Hardy to 5 degrees above zero. 
H-5—Hardy to 15 degrees above zero. (These varieties should be hardy 
during most winters in the Portland and Seattle areas. ) 
The symbol “x” following the letters H-1, H-2, etc., indicates the American 
quality rating. Four “x’s” indicate the highest possible rating. The absence of 
this symbol means that the variety is too new to be rated. 
Where the American ratings are absent the following equivalents will act as 
a guide when selecting for hardiness: 
British Rating American Rating 
ja H-2 
B H-3 
CG H-4 
D H-5 
Eastern Customers Please Note! 
We have been in correspondence with numerous customers located on Long 
Island and southward through the more temperate regions of Delaware, Mary- 
land, Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia. From their reports, we judge that 
varieties which are marked “A” and “B” in our catalog would succeed in the 
aforementioned localities. 
During the winter of 1949-50 temperatures at our nursery dropped to ten 
degrees below zero. Accordingly we have indicated the varieties which have best 
withstood these low temperatures by inserting a note after the descriptive matter 
in each case. Incidentally, all of the hybrids listed in our catalog were undamaged 
under lath house protection. Those in the open field without shade had some 
burn above the snow line and in some instances were killed completely but on 
the whole we are pleased to report that even under these subnormal conditions 
the loss due to cold was limited to the “C” varieties and then only in the open 
field. 
Award Symbols: 
F.C.C.—First Class Certificate awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society. 
A.M.—Award of Merit awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society. 
I thought you might like to know that the last shipment of Rhododendrons was received 
and I appreciate the care with which they were crated. They arrived in excellent conditions. 
C. Vanderbilt, STATEN ISLAND, N. Y. 
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