362 HISTORY OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 
raised on three pieces of wood, or bricks, above the level of the 
stage ; this I consider —— to the health of the heath in winter, 
s well from its allow ing a freer circulation of air under the pots 
a tubs, as from the increased facility with which a superabundance 
of moisture is allowed to escape freely from the pot or tub am 
convinced that heaths suffer more in the winter when grown in the 
ordinary way, from too much water and too much fire heat, than 
from any other cause whatever. But of heat I shall speak’ here- 
after. In shifting heaths, I never reduce the old ball of earth more 
than by rubbing the sides and bottom with the hand, so as to loosen 
the outside fibres a little. I have ohhen shifted heaths twice, and 
even three times, in a course of the spring and summer, with the 
7a 
ever, is quite unnecessary, unless “it be to encourage a yea = 
specimen ; for in all ordinary cases, particularly when the plant is 
a much larger pot or tub than it had been grown in before. 
am aware that this is ; aiceey to the ordinary eee as most 
people agree that heaths should not be put into a much larger pot than 
that from which it is to be removed; or, as gardeners and say, they 
should not be over- -potted. ae ertheless, I know, from experience, 
that it is a good practice, and a great saving of labo our, as all our 
large heaths are grown in tubs, some of them three feet over and 
two and a half dee 
These tubs are all made with iron catches, two on each tub, 
opposite to each other, an id fixed on Ngee strong rivets above the 
de to fit 
upper hoop. T 
catches to lift the tub. These are all of the same kind and same 
size, So seieak the same pair of ha ee eee for lifting all the tubs. 
sr 
large sized poe ot a ge the most careful saree sek ts 
are liable to g or broken, particularly at the time of shift- 
S a = tees el ith heaths or any_ ther 
= earthenware pots that are made. 
en tub, with three as coats of paint on the outside and 
a thick coat of pitch or coal tar inside (and, in some cases, the tubs 
