FLORICULTURAL (ECONOMICS. 185 
ny degree of health in it, and the young stock that is sold rarely succeeds in 
ther places. The reason of this we believe to be, that a finely-reduced heath- 
joil and sand are employed for potting, and get so thoroughly consolidated, 
mat the roots can never develop themselves freely. 
Recent improvements in cultivation, with respect to soils, have discarded heath- 
lould in a great variety of instances, and retained it only when it can be broken 
i p into pieces of from one to two inches diameter, and is full of fibrous vegetable 
latter. As a common ingredient in composts for exotic plants generally, its use 
; of very doubtful propriety. Its value is also much overrated in the culture of 
uch plants as Rhododendrons in the open air, as some of the best specimens of 
his class which we have ever seen have been grown in a loamy soil. 
In truth, almost the sole advantage to be gained by employing heath : mould in 
me majority of cases is due to its mechanical texture, and not to any peculiar 
roperties which it contains. It is mostly composed in part of vegetable fibre, 
nd is therefore very porous. It usually comprises, moreover, a quantity of sand, 
nd the popular belief has, till very lately, adjudged sand to be an excellent con- 
iituent in composts. But now that sand, as an addition to compost, is beginning 
|) be discarded, and sandy heath-soil is considered to be the very worst variety of 
s class, it is clear that other things might be substituted which would answer the 
esired end much more perfectly, even in a mechanical point of view. 
I Since, then^ it can be made to appear that heath-soil may be dispensed with 
1 a multitude of cases without serious inconvenience or injury, it becomes an 
nportant economical question how its place can be supplied when its cost amounts 
) a large sum per load. 
For mechanical objects, a very good substitute for heath-soil is fresh, fibrous, 
pen loam, mixed with a small proportion of broken sand-stone instead of sand, 
his will maintain a more permeable texture than heath-mould, and will not be so 
kely to consolidate. 
But a still better soil than loam, —as a mechanical agent,-— -and one that will 
irther give the character of vegetable remains which belongs to heath-soil, is that 
btained from decayed leaves. This kind of earth will supply all the peculiar 
■ laracteristics of heath-mould, with more of its porousness, considerably greater 
utritious power, and a far less liability to get soddened or compressed into a solid 
I lass. 
i Other matters which are serviceable for mingling with loam and leaf-mould so 
3 to complete their fitness for using in the place of heath-soil, are wood-ashes, 
owdered or finely broken charcoal, mouldering fragments of decayed wood, and 
ie thoroughly decomposed residue of any vegetable substances which may have 
sen casually collected. 
All these things are, indeed, of the greatest usefulness, and as every possessor 
- a garden may easily prepare them, they should never be neglected. Wood- 
dies form a most appropriate nutriment for plants, however delicate they may be; 
VOL. XI.— no. cxxvm. 
B B 
