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ERICA. 



ERICA. 



(HEATH.) 



Erica is from the Greek, signifying to break ; in 

 allusion to the brittleness of the stems. The Heath 

 is a shrub used in Great Britain for brooms, thatch, 

 beds for the poor and for heating ovens. More 

 than a thousand species exist ; several hundred have 

 been cultivated in Europe, where, they are grown 

 to perfection and are considered the finest of all 

 hard-woocled green-house plants. In this country 

 they are cultivated to a much less extent ; the hot 

 summers of our climate render the growth of many 

 of the varieties very difficult. A few of the free- 

 winter-flowerins; Heath are desirable on account of 

 the delicate beauty of their flowers, in shades from 

 purple, through red to white, and are used in bou- 

 quet making. Those usually cultivated are from 

 the Cape of Good Hope, and known as " Cape 

 Heaths.*' Though not recommended as window- 

 plants, their great beauty will reward those who can 

 devote time to their cultivation. 



SOIL, WATERING, PROPAGATION AND TREATMENT. 



The free-growing Heaths thrive in black fibrous 

 peat. The dwarf hard-wooded kinds should have a 

 considerable mixture of sand with the peat. Either 

 will grow well in partially decayed leaf-mold. 



They should have a moderate supply of water. 

 That which contains lime or salt is injurious to 

 thorn and rain water is best. The dwarf hard-wooded 



