ON PROPAGATING THE CAPE HEATHS. 125 



Ericas iii this Country was formed. The late venerable Mr. 

 James Lee, in company with Mr. Kennedy, of the Hammer- 

 smith nursery, may be looked upon as the first professional 

 characters who embarked in this speculation, and their col- 

 lection was looked upon as unrivalled in Europe. These were not 

 only the first commercial collections formed, but there also the 

 mode of culture first devised, which has been the means of dis- 

 seminating them throughout Europe, chiefly under the manage- 

 ment and direction of our late ingenious, although unfortu- 

 nate friend, Cushing. Subsequent collectors have added 

 considerably to this 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 conclu- 

 sions from their natural habits, to enable us to improve their cul- 

 ture ; and from the observations made by him, and freely com- 

 municated 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 neces- 

 sarily 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 hybrides which the care or 

 curiosity of the cultivator has produced. To the valuable ex- 

 ertions of the Hon. and Eev. W. Herbert, we are primarily in- 

 debted 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 cuttmgs ; few from layers, and so 

 far as we know, none have been propagated by grafting, or si- 

 milar processes. A considerable 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 



