AND GENERAL CULTIVATION. 19*7 



genus, and although last, but not least, that indefatigable young 

 botanist, Bowie, who not only visited Africa with a view to discover 

 new species, but also to draw conclusions from their natural habits, 

 to enable us to improve their culture ; and from the observations 

 made by him, and freely communicated to us as well as to others, 

 there is no doubt, that had he survived his second journey, this genus, 

 which hitherto has been considered difficult to propagate and cultivate, 

 would have been much improved by his valued observations. A 

 genus so interesting, and, we may say, so long fashionable, must ne- 

 cessarily have attracted the attention of home cultivators ; and from 

 the profusion of flowers which most of the species produce, and their 

 parts of generation being for the most part so perfect, we need not be 

 surprised at the many hybrids which the care or curiosity of the 

 cultivator has produced. To the valuable exertions of the Hon. and 

 Rev. W. Herbert, we are primarily indebted for many plants of this 

 description ; and from his paper on this subject, in the Transactions 

 of the Horticultural Society, we are led to infer, that this promiscuous 

 impregnation goes on to a considerable extent at the Cape, where 

 millions of them must be in flower at the same time. 



Heaths, like most other plants, propagate themselves from seed, 

 although most of them cultivated in this country have hitherto been 

 originated from cuttings ; few from layers, and so far as we know, 

 none have been propagated by grafting, or similar processes. A con- 

 siderable portion of them ripen their seeds with us, and there are 

 annual importations of seeds from the Cape. Those seeds ripened in 

 this country vegetate most readily ; whilst those imported are often 

 too old, or sometimes injured, before they reach us. As those 

 imported generally reach us in winter, they should be sown early in 

 spring; indeed some cultivators advise their being sown immediately 

 after their arrival ; but we have hitherto found, that if sown too soon, 

 that is, in February or the beginning of March, that they do not 

 vegetate so quickly, and, in consequence, many of the seeds are rotted ; 

 for it is a maxim that should never be lost sight of in the culture of 

 this tribe, which is, that artificial heat should never be employed, ex- 

 cepting in some cases of slow growing kinds, that may require a slight 

 heat to draw the young shoots out to a sufficient length for the pur- 

 pose of cutting ; but even in this case, the seldomer they are so 

 excited, the better. 



