440 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 5, 1831. 
flowers; and to meet this, Heath cultivation has been discontinued 
and other plants grown which yield a larger return in less time. 
Judging from the questions asked and answered in the pages of 
the Journal, I believe the tide is rapidly turning in their favour, 
and information regarding their culture may prove acceptable to 
many readers. 
In commencing their cultivation dwarf bushy young plants 
should be selected. It is important that the plants be of free 
growth and healthy, and not kept in small pots long enough to 
become unduly root-bound. Young plants that have become 
checked from this cause are a long time before they recover. 
These plants are generally obtainable in 5-inch pots, the usual 
trade size, and those should be selected that have become estab¬ 
lished in that size, for they are much better to start with than 
if they had been kept the greater part of last year and then 
wintered without placing them in larger pots. Plants of this 
description should be grown on in a cool airy greenhouse or in a 
cold frame, but cold draughts must be avoided, and the pots should 
stand upon gravel or some moisture-holding material. As soon 
Fig. 101.—Erica speciosa. 
as the plants are secured it must be decided whether they are to 
flower the following season or be grown on into a larger size 
before being allowed to flowei\ When required to flower, their 
progress towards making specimen plants will be slow compared 
with those grown for the purpose without flowering. 
To grow the plants into a large size as quickly as possible 
Jo not keep them in a close confined atmosphere, but give abun¬ 
dance of air when the weather is favourable, and the growths 
made will be sturdy. As soon as the 5-inch pots are fairly well 
filled with roots without being overcrowded, which will be the 
case by the middle of July, they should be transferred into 
7-inch pots. Two or three weeks afterwards the roots will be 
advancing freely in the new soil, and the strongest shoots,, or 
those that are taking the lead, should have their points taken 
out and then tied outwards, bringing them towards the rim of 
the pots to form the base of the future specimen. If the plants 
are healthy these stronger shoots will produce a number of 
growths. After they have been tied out, if any shoots take the 
lead they should be pinched to throw the strength of the plant 
into the weaker shoots, and thus keep the whole well balanced. 
They must not be stopped after the end of August or early part 
of September. It may be mentioned that Erica Cavendishiana 
is naturally of upright growth, and should not be allowed to lead 
away with two or three strong growths, or the base of the plants 
will be weak and the future specimen ruined in its early stages. 
Particular attention is needed with this variety in keeping its 
shoots well stopped to compel it to form a bushy habit, for if 
allowed to grow unchecked it will need cutting back, and this is 
a waste of time when growing the plants into specimens. This 
variety, which is one of the most beautiful and useful, reqnires 
more care in its early stages in this respect than any of the 
E. ventricosa section. The young plants should be kept under 
cold fraime treatment all the season, as they will do better than 
if stood outside, but free ventilation should be given. During 
September and October they must be placed in a light airy 
position in the greenhouse. 
The winter treatment is simple when they are given a good 
position. They must not be started into growth by fire heat. 
Keep them as quiet and cool as possible until the end of the 
year, only turning on the heat to exclude frost or to expel damp 
during dull bad weather. After the middle of January the 
house they occupy should be kept as near as possible about 
45° at night, which w ill gently excite the plants, and they will 
commence activity earlier than would be the case if kept cooler, 
thus giving a longer season’s growth the second year. To main¬ 
tain the temperature named employ fire heat only when abso¬ 
lutely necessary, for nothing is more detrimental to Heaths than 
dry heat, from whatever source it may be derived. 
As soon as the plants have commenced rooting freely in early 
spring examine them, and if the soil in the 7-incli pots is mode¬ 
rately well filled w ith roots transfer the plants to pots 2 inches 
larger. Whether the plants require potting or not depends upon 
their condition and the growth they made after the second pot¬ 
ting the first season. If not sufficiently well advanced they 
should not be potted, but may be left for a month or two longer. 
When well rooted they may have a 3-inch shift instead of being 
potted a second time. This is preferable, and the plants will do 
better if the grower knows when and how to water them. Heaths 
in their early stages require liberal root-room, and too many are 
ruined through being kept in small pots when young, for they 
lose their lower foliage and become stunted. These plants can, 
after the second year, be allowed to grow without stopping or 
potting for flowering the following spring and summer if re¬ 
quired, or they can when ready be placed in pots 2 inches larger 
and grown a third year without flowering if healthy large speci¬ 
mens are desired. 
When required to flower, whether the first, second, or third 
year after they are purchased, they must be grown on an entirely 
different principle and the wood thoroughly ripened. It is wise 
when numbers are wanted in flower to divide them int o two 
batches, and grow one lot specially for flowering and the others 
as specimen plants before allowing them to Hover. The winter 
treatment for both is exactly the same, but in spring the plants 
to flower should grow without being stopped. When in active 
growth should have abundance of air, and from the month of 
August must stand outside to ripen and harden their w r ood, or 
better still, occupy frames or a temporary house where they can 
be protected from heavy rains and storms. 
Staking and tying demand more attention than for the winter¬ 
flowering varieties, but not when the plants are required for home 
decoration. At first only a few short stakes are needed to bring 
the shoots down to the base and to regulate their growth; but 
when they attain a larger size more stakes will be needed, but 
the pots should not be crammed full, as is too often the case. 
The tying should be done with dark thread, which is less visible 
than matting, and the Heaths when finished have a neat appear¬ 
ance. It may be mentioned that E. Cavendishiana is a sturdy 
grower, and if properly managed will neither want tie or stake, 
and the E. ventricosa family will not require half so much tying 
or staking as the E. tricolor section. Many others are worth 
growing, including those represented in the figures, which show 
that the diversity in form is as marked in the varieties as the 
dissimilartv in colour. 
The potting, watering, shading, and general treatment should 
be exactly the same as that recommended for winter flowering 
varieties, but in no stage or condition should they be weakened 
by a close warm atmosphere, which some of those that flower 
during the winter will enjoy. To achieve the greatest success a 
cool system of cultivation must be practised, but cold draughts 
on all occasions must be avoided. It may be mentioned that 
mildew is the greatest enemy to these plants, and must be 
watched for carefully during the winter months, and destroyed 
at once if it appears, as advised on page 298.— W. Bardney. 
It is strange that these beautiful hardwooded plants are not 
so generally grown as they deserve to be. We seldom meet 
