MCNAB—CULTIVATION OF CAPE HEATHS. 359 
till wanted. It frequently happens that peat earth, taken from such 
or one-fifth of the whole, and although a little excess of om 
used, it will never be found injurious to the health of the plan 
prefer a coarse white sand, when such can be procured; sat when 
that cannot be had, a coarse pit or river sand will answer equally 
well, and where an opportunity offers of procuring sand from free- 
stone quarries, or from the hewings of such stones used in buildings, 
it will answer equally well; but in either case let the sand be free 
of irony matter. When the earth and sand are properly mixed, | 
consider the compost fit for us 
I am aware that some difference of opinion exists on this point, 
some maintaining (perhaps such as are advocates for using vegetable 
manure in a fresh and green state) that peat earth is always best 
when taken fresh off the common and used immediately. Others 
consider it better after having lain for a year or two in the me zi 
ground, and been turned over Span during that time ; but, 
practice, I have found no difference whether it is used srqparsdiatety 
: h 
thirty years ago, for all the Cape heaths that were grown about 
“ser urgh, peat earth was brought from the neighbourhood of 
don 
I “on tried various soils to grow heaths in, but I have found 
none sada to the kind I have just mentioned, havi ving grown them 
in it to greater perfection and seen them live longer than in any 
other I have tr ed. 
h 
and in great vigour; and these, when in flower, are covered wit 
blossoms from the edge of the tubs to the top of the plants. 
are, however, the freer growing kinds, eae as Erica Ewerana, 
oe Rope abietina, oridins narcsbens grandt, 
growing reat such vm Erica dep ress, atrosanguinea, 
