ERPCA MEDITERRA'NEA. 



MEDITERRANEAN HEATH. 

 Class. Order. 



OCTANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 



Natural Order. 



ER1CEM. 



No. 74. 



The name of this beautiful genus has been noticed 

 under No. 22, as derived from the Greeks ; and it 

 is remarked by Dr. Sibthorp that a corruption of the 

 term EREICO is still used by them, and applied to 

 the several species of this genus. Mediterranea has, 

 probably, been chosen as indicative of the inland si- 

 tuations of which this species is native. 



This, like most others of the beautiful tribe to 

 which it belongs, should be planted in sandy peat, 

 and may be increased either by cuttings or layers. 

 All the heaths should have occasional waterings in 

 the heat of summer, or they may fall into excessive 

 langour, as Stillingfleet observes of singing birds 

 after midsummer. This sultry season further re- 

 minds us of his observations on the same subject; 

 No longer stimulated by the enchantments of spring, 

 and the growing love of their mates, birds fall into 

 supinity and the indolence of age. 



" The groves, the fields, the meadows, now no more 



With melody resound. 'Tis silence all, 



As if the lovely songsters, overwhelmed 



By bounteous nature's plenty, lay entranced 



In drowsy lethargy." 



Hort. Kew. 2, v. 2, 367. 



