36 ARRANGEMENT OF FLOWERS AS TO COLOURS. 
Re-potting is done any time from first of February to the end of 
August. He uses a liberal drainage, this being very essential in proper 
culture for large plants three or four inches deep. In potting, he 
places the collar of the plant a little above the fresh soil, so that water 
may not lodge about that part; never disturbs the old ball, except 
to rub off a little of the surface soil; fills up sufficiently high to 
leave it at the sides one inch below the rim, in large pots more in 
proportion—this is in order to retain water when applied; and 
presses the fresh soil very firmly round the ball. When done in 
summer, he shades the plant for a few days. They require little water 
after potting till they push a-fresh into the new soil. All free-growing 
kinds sueceed best out-of-doors, in a not overshaded place during 
summer; the slow growers, as Massoni, tricolor, &c., are best kept in 
the house or pits; the Heath tribe requires plenty of air and little 
shade. Always gives a liberal shift if the plants are well rooted, as 
from an eight-inch pot to a twelve. As soon as plants are re-potted, 
he pegs down some of the lowermost branches, to hide the soil and 
have the plant bushy. In hot dry weather he well waters the ground 
between the pots, which is much better than wetting the plants over- 
head, which is apt to induce mildew, and causes the plants, too, to lose 
their inner foliage. To remedy the evil of mildew, he dusts the parts 
affected with sulphur, and places the plant in a dry situation, allows it 
to remain two or three days, and then brushes it off. When large 
specimens have done blooming, he says, ‘I take a pair of shears, and 
clip them all over. Free growing sorts are then placed out-of-doors, 
to make their growth and set their bloom; the slow growers are kept 
in-doors, and have plenty of air day and night. In housing them in 
autumn, they are not allowed to touch one another, and, if possible, are 
elevated on pots or blocks, so as to allow a free ventilation of air 
among them.” 
They require little water in winter. He raps the side of the pot, 
and, if it sounds hollow, gives it water carefully ; for to give much to 
such as Massoni, Hartnelli, and aristata, would be sudden death to 
them; but such as the ventricosas, perspicua nana, &c., require it 
often, and as much as will soak the entire ball. In winter, he applies it 
in the morning, to get the house dry during the day ; in dull weather 
a little fire heat is given in the day-time, giving air then back and 
front. The heated pipes are allowed to cool before the house is closed. 
Nothing is more injurious to Heaths, or, indeed, any other plant, than 
high night temperature. He never uses fire at night unless there are 
twelve or fourteen degrees of frost ; eight or nine degrees of frost will 
not injure Cape Heaths, if the wood has been properly ripened in 
autumn. Damp will do them more mischief than frost. 
ARRANGEMENT OF FLOWERS AS TO COLOURS, &e. © 
BY G, B. N., OF SOMERSET. 
I ruink you would be conferring a great favour on many amateurs if 
you were to follow up the Article upon the grouping of flowers which 
