HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 77 



the compost should be according to the age and size of the plant. I 

 make a practice to have the pot well drained with charcoal, crocks, 

 &c, if not, the soil becomes soured, and premature death is the re- 

 sult. 



With the above treatment T have grown Ericas complete ; bushes 

 In three and four years from 1 to 2 feet diameter, from 9 to 18 in- 

 ches high; and sorts such as Persoluta, Transparens, Politrichifolia, 

 &c. Much larger Ericas should be repotted some time before they 

 are exposed to the influence of the weather, and if not plunged in 

 the ground they should be put within a larger pot, and the interven- 

 ing space filled with moss, which retains moisture and prevents the 

 injurious effects of a hot sun beating on the roots ; when the plants 

 are in a growing state they should be frequently stopped, and peg- 

 ged down on the edge of the pot, which gives them a bushy appear- 

 ance, as nothing looks so unsightly as sticks and props, (which Glen- 

 ny calls the minor frigate of war style.) There has been much ca- 

 villing as to the soil Ericas should be grown in ; the soil I succeed 

 best with is turfy sandy loam, which has been flayed from an old 

 pasture to the depth of two inches and piled in a heap until it is well 

 decayed; I find that Ericas grown in peat receive more injury from 

 the hot sun than when grown in loam ; the cause may be from not 

 having turfy fibrous peat, as the peat that is generally used is got 

 from swamps or wet, shady woods, and is in a sodden state to be- 

 gin with. To have Ericas root freely, the soil must be a free soil 

 and not a binding one, and the color is no object ; Ericas should ne- 

 ver be watered when the hot sun is beating on them, (especially if 

 in a growing state) or they are apt to droop and die. In summer 

 they may want water once or twice a day, in winter sometimes once 

 a week; when the ball gets matted hard, I take a sharp stick and per- 

 forate the ball from the top, which allows the water to sink all thro', 

 as sometimes when they are repotted the water sinks through the 

 new soil by the side of the pot, and the ball is quite dry. I never 

 give a little water, or vjater sparingly — I always give sufficient to wet 

 the whole of the soil in the pot at once, and never water but when 

 they are becoming dry. I believe there is more injury done to the 

 plants by injudicious watering than all other evils connected. 



The best structure for Ericas is a low span-roof house about 13 



