ON THE CULTURE OF ERICAS. 177 



separate, "he observes," from each other, so that a free circulation 

 can pass among them, they will suffer much more when crowded 

 in the house in the summer, than they will do in the same situ- 

 ation during the winter, for in winter they are in a more dormant 

 state, and not growing with the same vigour. I would however 

 advise every one to keep as many of their best specimens and 

 best kinds within doors during summer as they can, without 

 having them crowded together. I cannot give better directions 

 than to say, that one should not touch the other when in the house 

 in summer, and if the nearest part of one to the other is two or 

 three inches apart, so much the better. The house, however, 

 should be ventilated at all times, and, except in cases of high 

 wind or heavy rain, both top and front lights should be kept open 

 night and day; and besides watering the earth in the pots freely 

 when they require it, they should be well watered over-head with 

 the garden engine every day ; and if the weather is hot and dry, 

 this operation should be performed twice every day, namely, 

 both morning and evening." 



There is one branch of culture in which I differ from the talent- 

 ed writer above quoted; he recommends a partial degree of shade 

 during the hottest days of summer. In this particular the Messrs. 

 Loddiges agree with me as do most of the continental cultivators. 

 This however, may be less important in the latitude of Edinburgh 

 than in that of London, and is certainly much less so there, than 

 in most parts of France, or the south of Germany, and for that 

 reason it may not be noticed in the excellent directions laid down 

 by Mr. M'Nab. Messrs. Loddiges follow the continental fashion 

 of shading by means of long slender branches of birch or other 

 decidious trees, which are laid over the roof of the house, break- 

 ing the full force of the sun's rays, while at the same time air is 

 not much obstructed. My practice is to shade by spreading 

 netting over the roof, and latterly by having a fine thin canvass 

 awning, mounted on rollers, on the top of the house, which is let 

 down or taken up at pleasure. 



Air cannot be too freely admitted to heaths, and indeed, to all 

 similar plants, and to effect this the upright lights may be left open 

 altogether, until the the thermometer, in the open air, falls to two 

 or three degrees below the freezing point ; indeed, we have even 

 bad the mould in the pots frozen pretty hard without the application 

 of fire heat. If the house be pretty air-tight and dry, fire heat will 

 seldom be required; for we find by Mr. M'Nab, {Treatise, p. 31.) 



Vol. VII. No. 78. x 



