Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-06-17
For the oxford Democrat
Boston CORRESPONDENCE.

Boston is very quiet. Anniversary
week seems 10 be the finale to all anu>o.
mcnts-if We except the charming Vokcs
Family, who at the Boston" still make
so much mcuimen,, that with the laugh.
the there, and the "Dnbury" jokes NJ
home one must be hemtlc,s indeed who
could look solemn.
write especially this morning to tell
YOU OF the Reception" being held on
the Common" by the Mass llorticu.-
mal Society, under the immediate SUI
peryisiou OF Mcssrs. llunncwen and Sar-
gent They present All exhibition novel
in this country. modelled after the annual
exhibitions held in England. Il is y
collection o. RhododendronS. These
plants. although native here. we've first
cultivated 10y English horticultuIi,ts, and
from their hardy nature are dies tiacd to
become general iavoriics. They are
grown Is trees, attaining CENTRALLY from
five to twenty lect in height, There are
several varieties on exhibition here, one
from SJclil. with yellow flowers. the
leayes OF which are rem Arkable Tor their
medicinal qualities; also the deciduous
species. whose leaves yield tannin, and
are substituted by tie Chinese OF Tart;ry
Tor Tea. The RerAaximum. growing TO
q greater height than any other, was sent
from this coundy to EUgland nearly one
hundred and forty years ago. The Inc
glossy foliage Of darkest green. forms
beautiful background TO the blossom of
pale L!Gsh-which grows in clusters. and
as the trees are sometimes pyramidal in
form, the effect is artistic in the extreme.
Next in Importance come the "Cataw-
biense" found in mos. parts OF America,
especially from New England to Virginia.
The soil best adapted for their growth Is
lbrous peat; shcl; er FROM the suns rays
is more important than protection from
cold; no manure should be used in the
soil-decayiug vegetable matter instead.
During the continuance OF this eXhor
ton much controversy has arisen, rs re-
CARDS the origin and and native place oil
these charming rhododendrons. Many
assert it is found only in America-oihers
that they are found in all parts of the
world growing on the bleakest'
and coolest mountain sides, depending
only on the snow for protection, clinging
TO and growing from decaying trees
flowing in the tropics beside the palm
and fern trees.
The tent for exhibition is one hundred
and fifty feet long by seventy'iivc w'sle.
Passing the outer door, we are at once
ushered upon scene OF surpasslnS
beauty; directly in front of us stands an
immense Tree Fern from the tropics the
trunk is shaggy and of light brown
color. the ferns. more delicate and firm
than those OF New England wave over
our heads; beside it a palm tree with It's
deep green leaves. On either side the
broad promenade. are ferns. bananas,
Azaleas and Cactus in the centre gay
parterre OF Rhododendrons and Azaleas
grouped in sweet confusion. From the
raised disks nj the extreme end we have
view OF the whole. crowds of people,
many ladies in evening dress, chatting
gaiIy-flowers nodding coquettisb!y al
one another as n breeze from the elms
overhead creeps in, music from the Ger
mania Band, all combine to render this
introduction of an English custom among
us a welcome innovation, and one which
will beautily our American homes"
MARION.
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