HEA 



[ 418-J 



HEB 



it will still be necessary to shade them 

 from the blazing sun. This is easily done 

 by spreading some sheets of paper over 

 them; but remove this shade instantly 

 when the sun is overclouded. When they 

 have been in this situation for a month, 

 remove the glasses entirely, and a month 

 afterwards commence potting them off 

 in 3-inch pots, four in a pot, stopping 

 them at the same time, to make them 

 bushy. Place them in a cold frame, 

 upon a layer of river-sand on coal-ashes ; 

 shade again for a time, and give air mo- 

 derately. When they have made fresh 

 roots expose them occasionally to gentle 

 showers, but by no means to heavy rain. 

 Give them due supplies of water in dry 

 weather, and keep them clear of weeds. 

 In these pots they must remain till the 

 spring following. During the winter 

 place them on a shelf, near the glass, in 

 a light, airy greenhouse. About March, 

 pot them singly into the same sized pots, 

 shading them again till fresh roots are 

 formed. They are then ready for the 

 usual routine of culture. Heaths, with 

 soft wood and free growth, are more easy 

 to propagate, and do not require so much 

 preparation; but in other respects the 

 management is the same. 



By Seed. Several kinds of heaths 

 produce plenty of good seed ; even some 

 that are extremely difficult to propagate 

 any other way, such, for instance, as E. 

 e'legans, E. odo'ra ro'sea, E. halicaca'ba, 

 E.triu'mphans, and some others of similar 

 habit. Fffl the pots in the same way as 

 for cuttings, only mix the top layer of 

 sand with as much heath-mould ; make 

 the surface smooth, and sow the seed in 

 spring on the surface, covering it as 

 slightly as possible ; water with the finest 

 syringe, so that it may fall upon the seed 

 like the finest dew ; place the pots near 

 the glass, shade from bright sun, and 

 keep the surface just moist. The seed- 

 lings will soon come up, and require great 

 care, or they will fog off. To prevent 

 this give air daily. As soon as they can 

 be handled transplant them into 5-inch 

 pots rather thickly, but standing clear of 

 each other. In this state they may re- 

 main for six or eight months, and then 

 pot them off into 3-inch pots, four in a 

 pot, and manage them afterwards in the 

 same way as the cuttings. 



Soil. This has been already described 

 above, in writing of the soil proper fox 

 the cuttings to root into ; but for larger 



plants it must not be sifted so fine. For 

 very large plants do not sift it at all ; for 

 such, if a few pieces of sand-stone are 

 mixed amongst the mould, they will be 

 useful to allow the water to penetrate to 

 the centre of the ball. 



Potting. Heaths thrive best if the 

 mould is left below the rim of the pot 

 from half an inch for small plants in 6- 

 inch pots, to two inches in large ones. 

 This space holds a supply of water which 

 gradually sinks through, and effectually 

 moistens the ball to the centre. Drain 

 thoroughly with broken potsherds, half 

 an inch for small plants, to three inches 

 for very large ones. 



Culture. Cold pits or frames, in spring 

 and autumn, are the best protection to 

 place heaths in during their youth, and a 

 good, airy, light, span-roofed greenhouse 

 for them through winter and spring, when 

 they are too large for the frames. In 

 summer they should be set out of doors 

 upon a thick bed of coal- ashes, behind a 

 low wall or hedge. Whilst in this position 

 they must have an abundant and constant 

 supply of water. If the ball ever becomes 

 thoroughly dry, the plants will certainly 

 die; therefore, attend to this point of 

 watering most rigidly and perseveringly. 

 In winter they do not require so much ; 

 but even in that season they must be kept 

 moderately, but constantly and thoroughly 

 moistened. 



Diseases. Heaths are subject to go off 

 at the point where the stem ends and the 

 roots begin. This is caused often by an 

 irregular supply of water, and cannot be 

 cured when it once takes place. The 

 plant may appear green and nourishing, 

 and the roots fresh, and the ends are 

 lively even when the stem is dead. 

 Another fell disease is the mildew. This 

 may be sometimes cured by first damping 

 the plants infected, and then dusting 

 them over with flowers of sulphur. This 

 disease is often brought on by a long- 

 continued damp atmosphere ; and if that 

 is not dried by a little heat, with abun- 

 dance of air, the disease will spread 

 rapidly, and soon destroy the plants. If 

 only one or two are infected, they had 

 better be sulphured, and placed by them- 

 selves till the mildew fungus is killed. 



Insects. See APHIS for cure, whan the 

 Green Fly attacks them. 



HEATH-MOULD. See BOG-EARTH. 



HEATHEK. Callu'na vulya'ris. 



HEBENSTBEI'XIA. (Named after Pro- 



