ARBUTUS AND ERICA. 73 



false quantity on the word " Erica " has the genius 

 of the English language in its favour. 



Nearest in size to the Arbutus, in this same 

 Natural Order, comes the Tree Heath (Erica arbor ea). 

 It is abundant on the hills round Hyeres, but less 

 common at Nice. The brier root pipes, incorrectly 

 spelled " briar root," are made of this wood, not of 

 rose, as the name might lead one to suppose. " Brier " 

 is a corruption of the French " Bruyere," Heath. We 

 read that " the thick woody roots are dug up and 

 prepared for the Paris manufacturers by the peasants 

 of the mountain valleys, who find it a remunerative 

 occupation, though their industry bids fair ere long to 

 extirpate this beautiful and interesting plant." The 

 scented flowers are pink ; the stamens are included. 

 I have found it in flower in the Esterel in March. 

 The hairy branches may serve to identify the Tree 

 Heath, even when it is out of flower. The name 

 Mediterranean Heath, as applied to this plant, is a 

 misnomer. Moggridge says that Erica Mediterranea 

 Linn, is never found on the shores of the Mediter- 

 ranean. 



Erica multiflora (Fig. 27) abounds near Toulon 

 and Hyeres : Moggridge gives excellent figures of this 

 beautiful species and of the last. He speaks of the 

 Multiflora as making the woods on either side of the 

 railway gay as the traveller passes eastward from 

 Toulon in October or the early part of November. 

 This Heath does not occur at Cannes or at Mentone, 

 but it is plentiful in two or three spots within easy 

 reach of Nice ; for instance, at the Cap St. Hospice, 

 and on the hills by the Magnan. The flowers are 

 pink, with stamens exserted. 



