TREATMEXT IN DOORS. 



69 



twelve degrees below freezing out of doors, no artificial lieat whatever 

 would be necessaiw in the heath house." 



"We have made tliis long quotation, because it is the tried practice of 

 one of the best cultivators of the present day ; and, if acted upon, 

 will remove much of the cultivator's anxiety, so far as the true principle 

 of appMng artificial heat is concerned, and convince him how small 

 a degi^ee of that element is really necessary-, in greenhouses of the 

 or dinar}' descriptions. 



During winter, water should be very sparingly applied to heaths; 

 and in times of severe fr'ost only enough should be given to keep the 

 plants from drooping. The case is different however, during spring and 

 summer, when they should have it abundantly supplied once, and, in 

 some cases, twice a-day, at their roots, and two or three times during the 

 week over then* leaves and branches by using the syringe or small garden 

 ^gine. 



In regard to the general treatment of Cape heaths, we find the following 

 excellent, plain, and useful directions laid down by Mr. Fyffe, in a com- 

 munication in the fifth volume of the " Horticultural Cabinet," in answer 

 to a correspondent who complains of his heaths getting naked, or, more pro- 

 perly speaking, rusty. " This, I should say," observes jMr. F}ife, " is from the 

 effects of drought ; fr'om being crowded close together ; or from the pots 

 being exposed to the powerful rays of the sun. If the pots are placed in 

 the open air, as is the practice vdth most of our hardy greenhouse plants, 

 this always takes place with the more tender sorts of the Bricce. The sun 

 acts so powerfully on the pots, when exposed for any period of time, as 

 to dry the baU completely ; and, allowing the plant to be watered with the 

 greatest care, the substance of x^eat soil being of a pecuharly drying nature, 

 the water often runs off, if the plants are potted high, without penetrating 

 to the centre of the ball ; — this is the cause of heaths going off so sud- 

 denly. WTien once allowed to get completely dried up, you may water 

 them and go away, fancying that all is right, when, perhaps, if you were 

 to turn out the plant, the water has not penetrated one inch. The next day 

 comes a hot and burning sun, your plants stand exposed as usual, and, by 

 the action of the sun, the pot has succeeded in completely drying up the 

 ball by mid-day ; — the plant stands so until night, and for six hom*s it 

 is actually d^ing for moisture." 



To remedy this e\il, the following rule should, according to the above 

 authority, be observed : — <^ If in the habit of placing heaths in the open 

 air, never do so T^ithout plunging the pots to the brims in cinders, ashes, 

 or sand, the former being the best, not being liable to be infested with 



