JO THE FLORIST. 



portion of them), I cannot permit it to pass unnoticed. I will not 

 presume to Bay that Mr. Leach's system will in all cases kill; but 

 this I will Bay, that so fraught is it with danger, that no nurseryman 

 in England would adopt it. 



The whole of Mr. Leach's article being too long to copy entire, 

 I must refer the reader to the Gardeners' Chronicle of the 25th ult., 

 selecting only the objectionable parts, which I shall take in the order 

 in which they stand. 



The first point upon which I am at issue with Mr. Leach is thus 

 stated : " Many are of opinion that Heaths will not thrive intermixed 

 with other plants ; but this is a mistake. I know from experience 

 that Heaths will thrive as well in a greenhouse, among other plants, 

 as they would do in a heathery ; in fact, some woolly-leaved kinds 

 are the better for being kept a trifle closer than others ; such are Fer- 

 ruginea, Gemmifera major, Splendens, Massoni, Templese, and others. 

 I have at present specimens of Ferruginea, Ampullacea, Parmenteri 

 rosea, and others, mixed with Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Azaleas, and 

 other greenhouse stock, doing much better than I ever saw them do 

 in the heathery, where air was more freely admitted. They, how- 

 ever, should be placed at the coolest end of the greenhouse." 



This paragraph, though comparatively harmless, is nevertheless 

 calculated to mislead the uninitiated, and create despair of ever grow- 

 ing successfully , or even keeping alive, this class of plants long 

 together ; when, in fact, the contrary result may be secured, if 

 people would but content themselves with recommending natural 

 means to obtain natural results. This genus cannot endure long 

 together a close, humid atmosphere ; it is poison to them ; whilst 

 the Pelargonium, Fuchsia, &c, luxuriate in it. How, then, can 

 they comfortably "fraternise" together, and in the month of De- 

 cember too ! The thing is impossible. The most robust and free- 

 growing Heaths will exist in such a situation/or a time, and even 

 look bright and healthy ; but, depend upon it, disease, in a secret 

 form, is making daily advances, and will most assuredly terminate in 

 death, if the plants are not timely removed. All those varieties de- 

 scribed by Mr. Leach as being at this time vapourising in his " green- 

 house stock" are some of the most difficult Heaths to manage well 

 (except perhaps Massoni) and to keep free from mildew that I know. 

 To those who have only one greenhouse for general purposes, and are 

 desirous to enjoy the delight of a well-grown, well-flowering Heath 

 amidst their blooming plants during the summer months, I would say, 

 Winter them in a cold frame, giving all the air possible on every fitting 

 occasion. In very severe weather, scatter a tolerably thick layer of 

 straw or other litter over the lights, pegging down over it a mat or 

 thick canvass. This protection will exclude fifteen or twenty degrees 

 of frost. The covering must of course be removed in the morning 

 to admit light, if the cold is too severe to admit air. In this way 

 do most of the nurserymen winter their " stock," and with perfect 

 safety. 



The next head of Mr. Leach's article treats of the soils best suited 

 for the Erica, the proportions he uses, the season of the year most 



