Wesl London Gardener^ Association. 



317 





Sect. 4. 





Erica costata 



j&rica viridiflora 



^rica fragrans 



speciosa 



sanguinea 



mirabilis 



bicolor 



BowieaVia 



Bonpland/«?z« 



versicolor 



coccinea 



primuloides 



buccinifdrmis 



ventricosa 

 Sect. 5. 



Coventryawfl. 



ArcherzaK« 



ampullacea 



aristella 



Sprengelw 



Shannonittwar 



tricolor 



inflata 



retorta 



Hartn^Ili, 



jasminiflora 



aristata 

 Sect. 6. 





PattersonzaMa 



Bed for cIm 73a 



cerinthoides." 



Linnae«raa 







Mr. Sherwood listened with pleasure to the excellent paper just read by 

 Mr, Caie. He did not approve of the system of raising the bole of the jBrica 

 higher than the rim of the pot. He would plant them half an inch below the 

 sides of the pot, as he considers, when they are watered, their roots are dis- 

 tended ; they are consequently elevated before they are in a fit state to be 

 shifted into larger-sized pots. 



Mr. Fish observed, that if one tribe of plants required our special care, or 

 were more beautiful than another, it was the jErica. The best cultivators of 

 heaths adopted the plan of raising the ball above the sides of the pot, and with 

 success. Air and light seemed indispensable for the well-doing of the plant, 

 and a situation where they may be exposed to the genial influence of the sun, 

 and capable of free ventilation at all times. He prefers to sow the seed in 

 sandy peat early in spring. He admired the system recommended by Mr. 

 Caie of keeping the sorts similar in species together. The foliage of heaths 

 can, without injury, bear intense sun; but ruinous effects are- produced by 

 the sun's rays heating the pots and burning the roots ; plunging them in saw- 

 dust he found would act as a preventive to such destructive effects ; 35 would 

 be the lowest degree of temperature he would wish to see in a heath-house. 



Mr. Keane considered the paper brought forward by Mr. Gaie to contain 

 excellent practical observations on the propagation and culture of the £rica. 

 He recommended that moss should be placed on the pots during the intense 

 sunshine of summer, which would retain the moisture and prevent evapora- 

 tion. He was opposed to the experiment of exposing the ^ric» to the influ- 

 ence of frost, for, although they may not immediately appear to suffer, he 

 believed that it would lay the foundation for diseases which may be accelerated 

 or retarded by subsequent treatment. He considered the jBricae was most 

 difficult to be successfully grown, and which was confirmed by the general 

 remarks of all practical writers on the subject. He did not think that they 

 were likely to suffer by too much water, as the heath soil is so porous it would 

 pass off in sufficient time to prevent the ill- effects which follow from a stag- 

 nation of the water in the soil. 



Mr. Caie would recommend all ericas to be shifted in the autumn, tO' keep 

 them growing. He did not desire the total exclusion of light in the pits, but 

 that they may be gradually inured to the light as the relative parts are brought 

 into action. 



Mr. Fish agreed with Mr. Caie in procuring the top spit which contains 

 more vegetable and nutritive matter. 



Mr. Grey also coincided with Mr. Caie in the benefit of using the top spit. 

 As the heat of the sun in summer is the principal cause of burning the plants, 

 he placed one pot within another, and filled the intervening space with moss, 

 which retains the moisture, and prevents the injurious effects so generally ob- 

 servable with heaths in summer. He believed that the system recommended 

 by Mr. Caie very much simplified the culture of the ^rica. It was like most 

 of the secrets of art ; when known, they are found to be perfectly simple. 



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