Rhododendron And Azalea

"Querist" wants to know : " Why is it that some nurserymen send out azaleas and label them rhododendrons, as occurred with me in an order this spring? I wanted rhododendrons, and I received azaleas. Is this honest?" He does not say what kind he ordered. Botanists have dropped the name azalea because they cannot tell the difference - but if nurserymen follow the botanists they will get into trouble. They had better stick to azalea. The California rhododendron is an azalea.

The Royal Horticultural Society Of England

Among the full foreign members in the list just published are the names of Professor Sargent, of Brookline, and Mr. Sereno Watson, of Cambridge, Mass. Among the Honorary foreign correspondents, are the following also from the United States: P. Barry, the late H. B. Ell-wanger, C. M. Hovey, Burnett Landreth, Robert Manning, Thomas Meehan, Prof. Thurber, and Col. Wilder.

American Institute Of The City Of New York

The Horticultural Department has issued a schedule of articles to be competed for, which may be had of John W. Chambers, Exhibition Building, 3d Ave., between 63d and 64th. The exhibition is to be from the 6th to the 9th of October. An amateur is defined to be the owner of any articles who does not make his living by growing them for sale.

Spiraea Van Houttii

A correspondent at Guelph, Canada, inquires : "If Spiraea Chamaedri-folia and S. Van Houttii are the same? If not what is the difference?"

[We do not know Spiraea Van Houttii. Does any reader know the difference? - Ed. G. M].

The Gas Plant

"D. K.," Flushing, L. I., N. Y., writes : " In the July number you quote the American Agriculturist as authority for the statement that the Gas Plant, Dictamnus fraxinella will blaze up if a lighted match be placed under it. So it will - even in the day-time when in flower - both the white and the purple. Place the lighted match under one shoot of the plant at a time, but not twice the same day or evening".

Gas-Tar On Hot-Water Pipes

Does any one know why people gas-tar hot-water pipes? This question is equal in importance to the one, " how to get it off again?" We note that in England, the early fount of horticultural intelligence, the editors have to grapple with the same question, - and one replies : "Paint the pipes with sulphuric acid; allow it to remain on 24 hours, and then wash off with lime-water. Nothing short of this is of the slightest use".