THE CULTURE OF HEATHS. 



177 



fill in as much of the fresh soil as will bring 

 the plant to the desired height in the pot, 

 leaving plenty of room for watering, and 

 taking care not to cover any of the stem. 

 The collar of the plant, that is, where the 

 roots and stem proceed in opposite direc- 

 tions, should never be covered with any 

 deptii of soil. Deep planting is a certain 

 cause of failure ; and I am of opinion, that 

 if this single circumstance was properly 

 attended to, in out-of-door planting, we 

 would not hear so many complaints about 

 canker, &c, in fruit trees. As the potting 

 proceeds, press the soil regularly all round ; 

 giving the bottom of the pot a rap on the 

 potting table will assist in consolidating 

 the soil ; and if it is rather dry than other- 

 wise, and properly prepared, there will be 

 little danger of making it too firm for these 

 plants, if nothing harder than the fingers 

 be used in compressing it. If the pots are 

 large, and the plants likely to remain in 

 them for two or three years, it is a good 

 plan, while potting, to introduce a few 

 strips of charcoal, reaching from the sur- 

 face of the soil to the top of the drainage. 

 This will at all times secure an equal dis- 

 tribution of water in the mass, and act as 

 a reservoir for nourishing gases. When 

 the potting is finished, give a good water- 

 ing, and if a few potsherds are laid on the 

 surface, to run the water upon, the fresh 

 soil will not be disturbed. Always use 

 rain water if possible, and apply it only 

 when the plants really require it. I ap- 

 prehend there are more plants lost from 

 injudicious watering, in combination with 

 imperfect drainage, than any other cause. 

 No plant can be kept long in a healthy, 

 flourishing state, where a routine system 

 of dribbling a little water daily is perse- 

 vered in, whether the plant require it or 

 not. When water is applied, let it be 

 given in sufficient quantity to permeate 



the whole mass thoroughly; otherwise the 

 surface will be moist, while the rest of the 

 soil is quite dry, and, of course, the roots 

 injured. During summer they must be 

 kept cool ; if in flower, in the green-house, 

 an agreeable temperature will be easily 

 maintained by shading from the sun and 

 applying moisture. But on this subject, 

 the well timed remarks of Mr. Leuchars 

 makes it unnecessary for me to enlarge. 

 Those not in flower will be easier managed 

 if placed out of doors, and kept in a frame. 

 This may be of the rudest construction ; 

 four boards nailed together so as to form a 

 square, will suit admirably. This box or 

 frame should be elevated an inch or two 

 from the ground for better circulation of 

 air. The pots should be plunged up to the 

 rim to keep the roots cool. Over this, 

 erect a temporary frame-work, four or five 

 feet high, on which a thin canvass, at- 

 tached to a roller, may be moved up and 

 down for the purpose of shading. They 

 must be constantly shaded from bright sun, 

 and fully exposed at night. They will be 

 benefitted by a slight shower occasionally ; 

 and during very heavy rains, the blind 

 being let down will preserve the plants 

 from injury. Syringe them occasionally 

 in dry weather, and keep up a kindly hu- 

 midity by frequently sprinkling round the 

 frame, and between the plants. 



During their growth, attention must be 

 given to the ultimate shape of the plant. 

 The slow growing varieties require little 

 help in this respect ; stopping-back any 

 luxuriant side shoots, and keeping a dis- 

 tinct leader, are the main objects. The 

 strong growing kinds look well when train- 

 ed in a pyramidal fashion. To effect this, 

 select one of the strongest shoots as a 

 leader, and secure it to a stake, encouraging 

 it, as much as possible, by pinching-back 

 all the side shoots. When trained in this 



