MARCH 69 



plants from the Cape of Good Hope makes one almost 

 think he must have been there Gladioli, Ixias, and 

 curious Cape Pelargoniums, which are the parents of all 

 our greenhouse varieties. On the bottom of the title- 

 page is a charming little drawing of that humble plant the 

 Linnea borealis (' Twin Flower,' Mr. Eobinson calls it), 

 which I have never yet been lucky enough to flower. 

 The design represents two little flowering branches raised 

 on either side like two arms. I feel much drawn to the 

 man Andrews, who so skilfully placed it there, just a 

 hundred years ago, to do honour to his great master. 

 Andrews' other book is ' The Heathery, or a Monograph 

 of the Genus Erica.' Again I have only the small edition 

 published in 1804. The folio one is very scarce. This is 

 a pretty, interesting book, with moderately well-drawn 

 plates, coloured by hand. The Heaths are such a large 

 family, and nearly all apparently come from the Cape of 

 Good Hope. I cannot understand why people who have 

 several greenhouses should not grow more of these 

 charming plants. They require a certain amount of 

 special treatment, a very cool house and plenty of air. It 

 seems such a pity that private gardeners only care to 

 grow the few plants which they can exhibit for competi- 

 tion markedly, just now, Orchids and Chrysanthemums. 

 These Cape Heaths look lovely picked and wedged, or 

 growing in the greenhouse, and, I should imagine, would 

 do especially well in houses by the sea. On the frontis- 

 piece of his book Andrews has a quaint picture of a 

 greenhouse for growing his Heaths. 



Towards the end of the year I will tell you about 

 those of my books which belong to this century. 



