G1 
99 Hardy Heaths, culture of. Erica Australis, carnea, cili- 
aris, cinerea, and its varieties ; mediterranea, stricta, scoparia, 
vagans, and its varieties; Calluna vulgaris, and its varieties; 
IMenziesia polifolia, and its varieties, amounting, in all, to up- 
wards of thirty species and varieties, are all free-flowering, neat, 
and ornamental plants. They are of low growth, and of easy 
culture ; and suitable either to embellish the flower border, or 
front of the shrubbery. The requisite soil for encouraging the 
growth of these very desirable plants, is equal portions of peat 
and loam ; or, light sandy peat. The general complaint of the 
hardy heaths being short-lived is easily remedied. This is ef- 
fected by layering a few of the young branches every year; as 
all the sorts, when so treated, will strike root very freely. For 
obtaining young plants, by this means, it is not indispensable, 
that any particular season be observed. It may be performed 
whenever an opportunity ofters. Every second year, after lay- 
ering, the whole may be taken up, in the month of March, and 
some of the young plants may be put to occupy the places of 
the old ones. Or, where large specimens are desired, the young 
plants may be left growing around the parent, as the latter will 
rarely die off when the process of laying some of the shoots 
around it every year is practised. They protect each other 
from the violent effects of wind, or extremes of temperature. 
Single upright standard plants of this genus, when fully expo- 
sed in the garden, are not unfrequently blown about by the wind, 
their roots loosened, if not broken off, and thus they are greatly 
injured or altogether destroyed. It should be remembered that 
their exposure in the garden, and the pruning to which they 
are very frequently subjected, are at variance with their natu- 
ral habits. Layering will remedy much of the evil. 
100 Butterflies’ Wings. In the series of works, entitled the 
Naturalist’s Library, conducted by Sir William Jardine, a de- 
lightful volume, by Mr James Duncan, on British Butterflies, 
has just made its appearance. It has numerous plates, prettily 
executed. From its introduction, where its author notices the 
brilliancy and beauty of the wings of various Butterflies, we 
have the following information, “ The mode of jiainting em- 
ployed to produce these rich tints, may not improperly be called 
a kind of natural mosaic, for the colours invariably reside in the 
scales, which form a dense covering over the whole surface. 
131 HOCTABICM. 99, D. Comeroii. 
