84 
HARDY HEATHS. 
kind only, a hardy Ericetum on a large scale 
is constituted ; and it will be found to be a very 
interesting and ornamental appendage to a 
pleasure-ground. Of course the principles of 
cultivation are the same in either ease ; and, 
therefore, in entering somewhat into detail, on 
the arrangement and management of an Erice- 
tum, when made as complete as it will admit 
of, the same remarks on cultivation will 
apply when the Ericetuni is confined within 
the smallest possible limits. 
In the majority of cases, the principle 
already referred to, of placing the plants in a 
situation where they will have the advantage 
of a cool moist soil, will be most effectually 
secured by making the bed, or beds, in some 
part of the garden which is below the ordinary 
level of the ground ; this, of course, supposes 
every part of the ground to be well drained so 
that there may be no stagnant water. Where- 
ever the soil is naturally moist, and not so 
perfectly drained as it would admit of, there 
is no necessity for choosing a low situation for 
these plants; and, indeed, under such circum- 
stances, a low situation would very probably 
be inappropriate. On the other hand, if the 
situation is naturally dry, or is made artifi- 
cially so by draining, there will be an advan- 
tage in placing the beds in the lowest part of 
the ground that can be chosen. If the place 
is sufficiently extensive to admit of being laid 
out in a picturesque manner, with a variously 
undulated surface, presenting in some parts 
hollows or depressions, forming dales of some 
extent, there cannot be a better place chosen 
for the purpose under consideration, than is 
afforded, either by the lowest points or the 
sides of the depression. In other cases, where 
the ground is disposed in a formal manner, or 
where some detached spots can be devoted to a 
formal arrangement of them, the surface of 
the area in which 1hey are to be grown, may 
be sunk from one to two feet, according to 
circumstances, below the ordinary level. The 
space may be either in the form of a square, 
a parallelogram, an oval, a circle, or any other 
that may be convenient for the situation, or 
adapted to the fancy of the proprietor; it should 
be made into a level grass-plot, witli sloping 
grass banks, connecting it with the higher 
ground ; the beds for the plants should be 
formed on the level part, and they may be of any 
form that may be preferred ; generally round, 
or roundish clumps have a better effect than 
angular ones, as the latter cannot so well be 
filled out with plants. This little area, thehardy 
Ericetum, should of course be approached 
by a gravel path, connected with the other 
walks of the pleasure-ground, and a gravel path 
should extend round the area, the sloping part 
being descended by means of a flight of steps ; 
this is necessary for the enjoyment of the 
spot, both in wet weather and in winter, when 
it would be impracticable to walk on the 
grass ; and as some of these at least might be 
expected to bloom throughout the winter, and 
in the early spring, when flowers in the open 
air would be very rare indeed, the circum- 
stance just noticed is particularly worthy of 
attention. The higher ground adjacent may 
be planted round with flowering shrubs, such as 
Khododendrons, Azaleas, &c, so as to screen 
the sunk portion altogether from the eye until 
it was approached ; or the top of the bank 
may be left quite bare and exposed — just as 
the taste or fancy of the proprietor may dic- 
tate. It may just be remarked, that in cases 
where the extent of the Ericetum is at all con- 
siderable, the former plan is preferable ; and 
it is the principle upon which detached flower- 
gardens or parterres should be made : they 
should be approached by a stranger without 
any knowledge of their existence, until they 
came at once within view. 
The manner of forming the beds should be 
something like the following : — The area 
should be drained or not, according as the 
situation may or may not require it ; this 
should be first attended to : then, after form- 
ing out the beds on the ground, remove the 
original soil to the depth of- two feet ; in the 
bottom, place six inches of some open coarse 
material, such as brick-rubbish, to act as drain- 
age ; and on this, fill in the remainder of the 
space with a mixture of three parts fibrous 
peat, and one-third sandy loam, giving the 
beds a little elevation in the centre, and re- 
gulating the soil at the margin to about two 
inches below the turf. The soil should be 
made moderately firm, and the beds will then 
be ready for the plants, which should be put 
in at such a distance apart, as is about equal 
to the height they are expected to attain. 
Occasionally, at intervals of some years, as the 
plants may become too much crowded, they 
should be taken up and re-arranged, giving 
them a greater space to grow in. This is all 
the attention they require, with the exception 
of such ordinary and routine operations, as 
keeping down weeds, watering in very dry 
weather in summer, removing decayed por- 
tions, and faded flowers, seed-vessels, &c. An 
open airy situation is preferable for the beds. 
In winter, the plants can hardly be kept too dry. 
When planted in a bed by themselves, the 
species which have already been referred to, 
as scarcely so hardy as others, though capable 
of enduring mild winters, might be very easily 
and securely protected, by covering the soil 
when dry with a coating of three or four 
inches of dry sawdust, and placing over the 
plants a temporary shelter of asphalted felt, 
left open at the sides, but so arranged as to 
throw off the rain from the plants, and to keep 
