70 



THE HEATHERY. 



worms, keeping the ashes in a moist state by watering, as also giving 

 each plant a regular supply even- night, according to its state of dryness. 

 Heaths are much benefitted by being partially shaded by canvass or any 

 light substance when set in the open aii*, as the sun acts so powerfully 

 on the foliage when first taken out of the house; but if a house is 

 especially set apart for the cultivation of heaths, I would not," says 

 Mr. F^-ffe, " take them out at all, except a few, so that the rest may not be 

 over-crov\ ded, gi^'ing air at all times, except in ven* severe weather, or 

 when cutting ^inds occur, if the stage of the house stands high or much 

 exposed to drying -^^inds. When air is admitted to the house," Mr. F. 

 recommends the pots to be protected by placing a quantity of h\-pnum 

 amongst them, keeping it moist by watering." 



Cape heaths are very liable to be attacked by mildew, particularly in 

 the neighbourhood of London : and some collections have been nearly 

 destroyed from this cause."^ Sulphur, applied either in a dry or moist 

 state, is the most effectual cure, and should be appHed upon the ven* first 

 appearance of the disease, by dusting the plants all over with the dr\- flour 

 of sulphur, or by making up a thick lather of sulphur, mixed with soap, 

 and laid on the plants \dth a painter's brush. It is difficult to trace the 

 real cause of this disease ; some attribute it to the practice of exposing 

 them dming summer to the power of the mid-day sun ; others, to the 

 excess of water given towaids autumn ; while many think it is an atmo- 

 spheric disease, and that some situations are more hable to its effects than 

 others. It is said to be of rare occurrence in Scotland, owing, pro- 

 bably, to the summers being cooler there than in England. ^A^latever 

 may be the cause, the effect is in general fatal, for heaths once attacked 

 by the disease seldom recover. 



An anomTuous contributor to the Gardener's ^lagazine, Vol. IX. p. 245, 

 observes that the best preventive is placing the plants, during summer, 

 behind a wall, hedge, or other shelter ; so that they may be shaded frons 

 the rays of the sun five or six hours in the hottest part of the day, without 

 having recourse to awnings of any kind ; likewise, to house them early in 

 autumn, in houses where tlie sashes can be drawn ofif in fine weather, and 

 put on to protect them from heavy rains. For the more delicate species, 

 generally kept in pits and fr'ames in summer, the ]3est preventive is to use 

 lights glazed with green glass, keeping the hghts on fi'om nine o'clock in 

 the morning till six o'clock in the evening, and giving plenty- of air, by 



* 'Wildenow says it is occasioned by the growth of a fungus, the Mucar 

 Erysiphe Linncei] or by a whitish slime 'deposited on the plant by some species 

 of aphides. — KeiWs Botanical Lejclco/K 



