90 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
{ August 1, 1678. 
be visible either in barrenness or in abortive fruit—curled, 
attenuated, and worthless—EDWARD LUCKHURST. 
CAPE HEATHS.—No. 7. 
JULY. 
Ir our readers have followed the instructions previously 
given and have used ordinary care in carrying them out 
their Ericas will now be forming bushy heads, for, although 
generally looked upon as slow-growing plants, they rapidly 
assume handsome proportions after about the third year. It 
will be well to set the plants in the open air now—that is, if 
they are not already removed from frames or pits, as by this 
system the growths become thoroughly hardened and vigorous, 
Fig. 13.—Erica Shannoniana, 
Care must be taken to water only during early morning or 
towards evening, as continual watering during the heat of the 
mid-day sun is sure to result in death to the plants, and yet 
we have seen this practice persevered in by men who consider 
themselves skilful plant-growers. When water is given let it 
be in such quantities that the whole ball of earth becomes 
saturated, for partial watering, we are assured by practice, is 
a fertile source of mildew. Again, do not place Heaths under 
the shade of trees: they do not require it, and often become 
injured by drip during a few days’ continued rain, and their 
growth only becomes partially ripened. Soft or rain water 
should be used for watering these plants. If during drought 
this is not procurable the water to be used in the evening 
should stand fully exposed to the sun during the whole day. 
Some recommend the use of weak liquid manure for Ericas, 
and we have seen it applied beneficially to plants that are 
not wanted after the blooming season; but it should never 
be given if the plants are intended to live a number of years. 
The following kinds will be found a good selection for effect 
during July. 
Erica ferruginea superba,—Leaves arranged in fours, linear 
obtuse, densely clothed on the edges with long, woolly, rusty 
hairs. Flowers in spreading whorls from the ends of the 
principal branches, cylindrical, with a swollen base and con- 
tracted mouth; limb rather small, spreading; colour light 
pink at the base, passing upwards into a reddish purple. 
E, Shannoniana (fig. 13).—This is a superb large-flowering 
species, bold in growth, and much-branched. Leaves arranged. 
in threes, ascending, three-sided, and acuminate. Flowers 
produced in large terminal whorls; these are flask-shaped, 
delicate pink or flesh colour, saying at the contraction of the 
neck, where the colour is more intense ; footstalks and calyx 
deep red ; whole flower glutinous. 
E. hyacinthoides.—A dwarf-growing, neat, and handsome 
species, now unfortunately very rare. The last time we saw 
it was in the gardens of Harrenhausen in Hanover, where so 
many of these beautiful old species were treasured up by the 
elder Wendland. It scarcely reaches 12 inches in height, 
much-branched, and densely furnished with stout, smooth, and 
shining dark green linear obtuse leaves. Flowers large and 
freely produced from the ends of nearly all the branches. 
They are arranged in fours, flask-shaped, the segments being 
large and spreading, whilst the colour is a beautiful soft rose 
throughout. 
LE. infundibuliformis.—A slender-growing, beautiful plant. 
Leaves linear obtuse, smooth, arranged in threes, and light 
green. Flowers erect, long, and slender, produced in fours 
upon short footstalks; tubes deep red, the broad spreading 
limb being white. 
£, verticillata.—This is an elegant and extremely useful 
plant for all purposes ; it is erect in growth. Leaves arranged 
in fours, linear acute, destitute of hairs, and dark green. 
Flowers produced in large pendant whorls towards the ends of 
the branches ; they are about an inch long, cylindrical, some- 
what square at the base, and brilliant crange red in colour. 
E. jasminifiora.—Although somewhat straggling in habit 
this is, nevertheless, a very desirable species. The leaves are 
mostly arranged in threes, triangular, spreading, and dark 
green. Flowers mostly in threes from the ends of the simple 
branches, about 14 inch long, cylindrical, with a swollen base, 
and a large, flat, spreading limb, the segments of which are 
cordate ; tube rosy pink, the segments pure white. 
E. incarnata.—A species now very seldom seen in col- 
lections, yet it is a small and compact grower, and very gay 
when in flower. It forms a dense much-branched plant some 
12 or 18 inches high, the leaves being linear obtuse, quite 
smooth, arranged in fours and bright green. The flowers are 
produced in dense bunches upon the ends of all the branches, 
they are ovate with a contracted mouth ; colour bright reddish 
ink, 
if £. vestita alba—A rather tall-growing kind. Branches 
ascending. Leaves about an inch long, crowded, linear, ar- 
ranged in sixes, and dark green. Flowers produced in large 
whorls near the ends of the branches, sometimes in double 
tiers. Flowers longer than the leaves, pure white, slightly 
downy. 
E. vestita lutea.—Similar in habit to the preceding, but the 
leaves are more robust. Flowers produced in large and dense 
whorls; they are club-shaped, upwards of an inch long, 
slightly ribbed, and clear sulphur yellow in colour. 
L. vestita fulgida—aA very highly coloured variety of robust 
growth. Branches erect. Leaves long, arranged in sixes, 
linear, smooth, and dark green. Flowers crowded near the 
apex of the principal shoots, upwards of an inch long, and 
rich bright red. 
EL. vestita incarnata.—This is scarcely such a strong-growing, 
variety as the preceding. Leaves six to eight in a whorl, 
linear, erect, and very deep green. Flowers produced many 
together in crowded whorls near the apex of the main shoots ; 
they are club-shaped ; about an inch long ; ground colour white 
suffused towards the apex with bright rose or flesh colour, 
rendering it a very charming plant. 
£. vestita rosca—tKrect in growth, with simple branches 
and dark green leaves, which are linear obtuse, arranged in 
eights, and shorter than either of those varieties named above. 
Flowers crowded, an inch in length, and rich deep rosy colour. 
LL. vestita carnea.—A truly beautiful variety. Habit of 
growth erect as in the other kinds, Leaves linear, erect, 
slender, and pale green in colour. Flowers produced in 
crowded whorls towards the upper part of the branches, 
about an inch in length, and of a delicate flesh colour, 
E. Irbyana.—The improved form of this species produced. 
by the Messrs. Rollisson & Sons of Tooting is a most desirable 
variety. It produces long, simple, erect branches. Leaves 
somewhat triangular, armed at the point with a stiff bristle, 
the edges slightly toothed; colour deep green. Flowers in 
