264: THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
crowding them up with soft-wooded plants during the winter season, 
because of the risk of their suffering from the stagnant state of the 
atmosphere, and ultimately becoming infested with mildew, which 
is undoubtedly the most dangerous of the enemies with which they 
have to contend. It is also important to separate them from plants 
requiring the assistance of fire-heat during the winter season, beyond 
that necessary for the maintenance of a dry atmosphere, and for 
keeping them safe from frost. It is, indeed, better for them to be 
exposed to a few degrees of frost than to a temperature in excess of 
their requirements. 
The selection of a suitable soil is a point of the first importance, 
for if the plants are potted in peat, which soon becomes sour, or is 
in other respects unfavourable to the development of the delicate 
fibrils, all the skill in the world will fail in maintaining them in 
good health. As in the case of our native heaths, those from the 
Cape of Good Hope grow naturally in light sandy soil rich in fibrous 
matter, such as in this country is known as peat. The best peat 
for heaths is that obtained from a place where the native ling is 
found to grow freely. If it has a good sprinkling of sand in it, so 
much the better, but as the sand can be readily added its presence 
naturally is not of much consequence. The peat should not be cut 
to a depth exceeding three inches, because below that it does not, 
as a rule, contain much fibrous matter, and in consequence quickly 
becomes sour. Amateurs who have to purchase soil should obtam 
it from a nursery in which heaths and other hard-wooded plants sre 
extensively grown, for an immense quantity of peat is sold which is 
quite unfit for delicately-rooted plants. In the preparation of the 
peat, chop it up moderately fine, according to the size of the plents, 
and add a liberal addition of sharp silver sand. The pots must be 
efficiently drained. 
Crocks perfectly clean, and broken up to the size of large cob- 
nuts, are preferable, and the thickness of the layer should range 
from one inch in six-inch pots, to two inches and a half in pots 
twelve inches in diameter. The usual precaution of covenng the 
crocks with a layer of the rougher portion of the peat must te taken, 
and if at hand, add a sprinkling of small clean pebbles or small 
pieces of freestone to the soil placed in the pot previous to she plant 
being put in position. Put sufficient soil in the pot to raise the 
surface of the ball of soil to within three-quarters of an inch of the 
Tim in the case of pots six inches in diameter, so that there 
may be no difficulty in supplying them with water. The distance 
between the surface and the rim must be increased in proportion 
to the size of the pot, but in no case should it exceed one inch and a 
half, for if heaths are potted too low there is a risk of their decaying 
at the collar—i.e., that portion of the stem immediately above the 
surface of the soil. The space between the sides of the ball and the 
pot must be pressed as firm as it is possible to make it, because if 
filled in at all loosely the water will soak away round the sides and 
leave the centre of the ball quite dry, to the injury of the plants. 
Careful watering is a prime necessity, for heaths must not suffer 
from drought, neither must they be injured by an over-abundant 
