McCNAB—CULTIVATION OF CAPE HEATHS. 363 
we used were made out of oil casks) when, to all appearance, it is as 
i but in 
such a tub I have seen no instance in which heaths did not grow as 
freely as in ordinary flower pots; and yet, though I have repeatedly 
made the experiment, I have seen no instance of a heath thriving in 
Besides the compost and Sel which I have already mentioned, 
when I begin to shift heaths I have always at hand a quantity of 
coarse, soft, free-stone, broken into pieces, from an inch to four or 
five inches i in diameter. _Of these I always introduce a quantity 
or 
earth as it is putin. This I consider of great advantage to all sorts 
of heaths, but more particularly so to those that may have been 
shifted into a much lar arger pot or tub at once than what it had been 
grown in ee or in wie Pe would ee oor or triennial shift- 
before the plant is put in, a quantity of these stones should be mixed 
with the earth also. I likewise use occasionally lar, rge pieces of soft 
burnt broken pots, put among the earth in the same way as the 
“ge but I prefer stones when I can procure them soft and free of 
. The quantity of stones which I introduce Aas Bo with a ot 
the moisture longer than the earth, and in the winter they allow a 
freer circulation of any capetainindate sioietate which may be given 
through the mas 
an aware that Mr Bowie (Garaeners’ Magazine, vol. 1, p. 364) 
recommends small pieces of stones to be mixed with the "earth in 
which heaths are grown. I may mention, however, that it was prac- 
tised here long before Mr Bowie’s paper appeared, which can easily 
bes an wn by ate the ball of earth of any of our oldest heaths 
in this gar 
at i nd ced me first to try stones mixed with the earth were 
hints received from another meritorious collector now no more. But 
shall have occasion to mention his name hereafter, as having re- 
ceived from him many other useful suggestions regarding the culti- 
vation of heaths. It is but fair, however, to state that Mr Bowie, 
a know, was the first to recommend practice in print 
Although the use of eee among the earth for growing heaths has 
actised here more than ten years, and I have seen pieces of 
pract 
broken pots used in ee same way, and for the same purpose, about 
London nearly thirt years ago, it cannot, therefore, be considered 
an invention of Mr wie’s, and certainly it is not one of mine. 
