of Ericas or Heaths. 291 



same baneful effect, if given to excess. The intermediate path 

 is the best, and must be strict!}'' attended to, in order to be suc- 

 cessful in the cultivation of heiiths. 



Repotting the plants. — Plants already rooted in pots may be 

 successfully shifted at any time, from March till August; but 

 perha})s the most convenient opportunity is when the plants are 

 taken from the green-house to be placed in the open air, as just 

 directed. Heaths may indeed, if they require it, be shifted at 

 any season of the year with safety. But it is best to adopt some 

 time when the whole of the plants may be done, in order to save 

 labor, especially when the collection is large. 



The same soil should be made use of as I have before men- 

 tioned for potting the cuttings into. The third or fourth time of 

 shifting it may be less sandy than at first. An abundance of 

 potsherds, broken tolerably fine, should be given for drainage, 

 for on this depends, in a degree, the welfare of the plants. The 

 hole at the bottom of the pots should be looked at when the 

 plants are removed both from and to their winter habitation, in 

 order to ascertain whether it remains open, so that the water may 

 pass off freely. 



Some ericas grow more freely and rapidly than others, and 

 should have more frequent shiftings and plenty of pot room, if it 

 is desirable to have good specimens. Some of this class are 

 the following: — E. conchiflora, concinna, verticillata, tubiflora, 

 longiflora, mammosa, andromedfp/?ora, arborea, caffra, (so called,) 

 &c. &c. The soil for these and similar robust growing kinds 

 should not be so light and open as for more slender and delicate 

 species and varieties. 



The after management of the plants during summer — the ne- 

 cessary precautions about administering water, &c. — have al- 

 ready been stated at length, and 1 now come to the 



Winter treatment., and arrangement of the plants in the house. — 

 I shall not suppose that there are at present, or will be for 

 some time, collections sufficiently extensive to be kept in houses 

 or heatheries built for the express purpose of the cultivation of 

 heaths. The green-house will therefore undoubtedly be selected 

 as the place to keep them through the winter season. 



The best aspect for a green-house in this country, adapted to 

 their growth, is a South-south-easterly one. In this situation 

 they will be found to thrive best during the winter. In the 

 spring, however, the sun's rays will be found too powerful for 

 the health of the plants; an awning should therefore be procured, 

 and the best article for this purpose is millinet, as it breaks the 

 force of the rays, and yet admits sun enough to keep the plants 

 in fine condition. The method of putting up such an awning is 

 very simple. It should be fastened r.t tlic Ijack of the house on 

 light rollers, so as to be drawn down over the plants when tlie 



