Retrospective Criticism. 625 



one and all told me it was in consequence of watering them too much. 

 Acting on this advice, I was induced to decrease the quantity, but still the 

 mortality increased in a frightful degree. When my stock had been reduced 

 to something less than a dozen, I began to fancy there must be some other 

 cause than the one assigned, and I was strengthened in this opinion by the 

 circumstance of observing that the mould of the plants which I turned out 

 of the pots, after their dissolution, was quite hard and dry, particularly in 

 the centre : it therefore occurred to me that the cause of my losses was 

 quite the reverse from the one assigned. I immediately proceeded to re-pot 

 the few I had left, in a mixture of bog [heath mould] and sand, a small 

 portion of loam, and some broken pieces of pot : this was previous to the 

 treatment recommended [Vol. I. p. 363 — 365.] by Mr. Bowie coming 

 under my observation. I then gave them a good portion of water, and con- 

 tinued to do so during the remainder of the summer. I soon found them 

 assume a more healthy appearance, and I did not lose one during the suc- 

 ceeding winter. I have continued the same treatment ever since, never 

 allowing them, if possible, to get too dry, particularly in the summer ; and I 

 find that the few species which I have got thrive with me, artd some of them 

 seed very freely. It is true that, from particular circumstances, I have 

 never been able to get together so extensive a collection as 1 did on my 

 first attempt to grow heaths, but I have, in subsequent years, increased my 

 stock a little, and I give a list below f of the species which I now have, 

 the whole of which I have had in ray own charge for upwards of two years, 

 and several of them are those which I first purchased. I have put a star to 

 those which have seeded with me. When I state that, from my avocations, 

 I am from home at least eight hours every day, and have, besides, a great num- 

 ber of other plants to attend to, it will, I think, prove that there is not so 

 much difficulty in keeping heaths as we are led to suppose. I should, 

 perhaps, observe that I have kept the greater part of them under glass, as re- 

 commended by your correspondent, "A Constant Reader;" but I am induced 

 to do this, more from a want of convenience to put them out, than from 

 any fear of the consequence of exposing them to the weather in the sum- 

 mer : besides, my residence is not out of the influence of the smoke of 

 London ; and although I am not prepared to deny that ericas may be kept 

 near London, yet I must confess my opinion is decidedly in favour of a 

 pure atmosphere being indispensable for growing them in perfection. That 

 a green-house is not absolutely necessary for preserving them, I think any 

 one will readily admit, after seeing Mr. Fairbairn's heaths, in the Clapham 

 Road Nurseiy, than which none can look more healthy : these are kept in 

 pits only in the winter ; and it is, I believe, the practice at this place also 

 to expose them in the open air in the summer. 



In every collection of heaths it must be expected that some will occa- 

 sionally perish ; besides, many of them, as they get old, become unsightly : 

 it is therefore desirable always to keep a succession of young plants. This 

 can easily be done by striking a few, every year, from cuttings. Some of 

 the sorts are a little difficult to propagate ; but, by a little perseverance, a 

 novice will, in a short time, get the method of doing it. It was two years 

 before I succeeded with any but the very common sorts ; but, by attention, 

 and a determination to accomplish what I knew was done by others, I suc- 

 ceeded in getting young plants from all those which I attempted to strike, 



f ^rica * Aitomdna, *ampullacea, assurgens, *Bowiea?2«, calycina, 

 *cerinthdides, colorans, *echiifl6ra, elegans, empetroides, *gelida, *grancU- 

 flora, Yhxmecma, *Irby«««, Massonz, nigrita, *piI6sa, /Jinea, Plukenetia««, 

 puverulenta, pyramidalis, quadraeflora, regerminans, Savilea?z«, Seban«, 

 tortulaeflora, * tricolor, *ventric6sa, *vestita, *vlridis. 



Vol. IX. — No. 46. ss 



