166 Remarks on the Cultivation of 



Art. III. Remarks on the cultivation of Ericas or Heaths^ 

 their propagation and general management. By J. W. Rus- 

 sell. 



As this splendid genus of plants is now beginning to attract 

 the attention of the lovers of choice and elegant flowers, in this 

 country, I beg leave to present you with a few brief remarks, 

 on their general treatment, propagation &c., which may not be un- 

 acceptable to that portion of your readers who are not already 

 acquainted with this family of plants. About twenty years since 

 ericas were held in great esteem in England, but more especial- 

 ly those varieties that are indigenous to the Cape of Good Hope, 

 from whence all the most beautiful of the family have been obtain- 

 ed. A heathery, or in other words, a house built expressly for 

 the growth of heaths, was of common occurrence, at the time 

 above mentioned; but from some cause, of late years, their cul- 

 tivation has been on the decline, and the reason has been, proba- 

 bly, from the supposed difficulty of their culture. However, at 

 the present day, in England, some fine collections are still kept 

 up, and are highly prized by the proprietors; more attention has 

 also been bestowed upon the plants generally within a very short 

 period. 



In order to be successful in the cultivation of heaths, the soil 

 that is the best adapted for their growth, should be the first con- 

 sideration. It must be borne in mind, that it is of the utmost 

 importance to make a judicious selection of this material.^ for on 

 it rests, in a great measure, the success of the undertaking. We 

 cannot readily find in this country, as in England, where whole 

 tracts of land are completely covered with the ^rica vulgaris or 

 Ling, and where a plenitude of it can be secured, what might be 

 called, strictly speaking, heath soil, none of this genus to my 

 knowledge having as yet been discovered in America. There- 

 fore, since we have not our black heath, Wimbleton common, 

 &c. as a store-house, we have no alternative but to select the 

 best that it is in our power to obtain. Peat or bog soil, taken from 

 localities where the andromedas and menziesias are found grow- 

 ing spontaneously, is probably the best we shall be able to find 

 in this country for the general culture of heaths. Be very care- 

 ful to give the preference to the black soil, that is of a loose ])li- 

 able nature, where it is rarely, if ever, covered with water. Clear 

 pit or fresh water sand must be well blended with the soil, if it is 

 naturally deficientof this ingredient; about one third or one half sand 

 should be used; at any rate a goodly portion is indispensably neces- 

 sary, and the operator must here use his own judgment, as the quan- 

 tity to be added will depend altogether on the presence or absence 

 of sand in the original soil. In order to be more distinctly under- 



