204 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



the double keep much longer than the si ngle. The plants, 

 particularly the whites, are largely used for church dec- 

 oration. In growing the plants in winter the tempera- 

 ture should-not exceed fifty degrees at night. 



HEATHS. 



Heaths are at present little grown here for winter flow- 

 ers, our hot summers making their culture troublesome, 

 except with a few of the freer growing sorts, such as 

 Erica gracilis (carmine), E. persoluta (deep rose), 

 E. persoluta alba, E. vernalis and E. Actea, all white. 

 They are best grown from cuttings of the young wood in 

 March, in soil similar to that used for Azaleas ; if planted 

 out in the open ground in May in light rich soil, they 

 will in one season make plants large enough to flower 

 the first season ; but, like Azaleas, they are cheaper to 

 import than to grow. Winter culture very similar to 

 Azaleas. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



ORCHIDS. 

 ORCHIDS MOST SUITABLE FOR FLORISTS' WORK. 



Having no experience in Orchid culture, I addressed the 

 following queries to Mr. William Gray, of Albany, N. Y., 

 whose knowledge of Orchid culture is second to none in 

 this country and probably not to any in Europe. The 

 replies to the questions are in every instance from the 

 pen of Mr. Gray : 



1st What are the best twelve or twenty-four kinds of 

 Orchids most suitable for florists' work ? The best twelve 

 for florists are Catll<'iia triamnce, Dendrobium nobile, 



