June 5, 1884. 1 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
441 
with them in any quantity in private establishments, except 
when grown for exhibition, for which they are invaluable, com¬ 
prising as they do nearly all colours and shades, from the purest 
white in E. jasminiflora alba to the rich vermilion scarlet of 
E. cerinthioides coronata, E. Eweriana superba, and the bright 
yellow of E. Cavendishiana. These plants ought to be grown 
in a light airy house—in fact, except in very severe weather the 
house ought not to be closed. They ought to never have tire 
beat except to just exclude frost, or to exclude damp during a 
Fig. 102.—Erica cerinthioides. 
continuation of dull autumn weather to prevent mildew, to 
which they are rather subject, especially the close woolly varie¬ 
ties, such as E. aemula. It is a good plan to put most varieties 
outside, fully exposed to the sun, when they have flowered and 
have started growing, as it hardens the growth, and they are 
more able to resist the attack of mildew. 
The last potting for the season may be early in August. The 
pots to be used should be quite clean and carefully drained with 
clean crocks. Being slow-growing plants they do not require 
potting very often—a shift every two years after the plant passes 
a G-inch pot until it is in one 12 inches or 14 inches in diameter, 
after which it will not require potting so often, always taking 
into consideration the variety. If it is free-growing, such as 
E. ventricosa and its varieties, it will require potting oftener 
than the slow-growing E. Marnockiana. When potting, if the 
plant is in good condition, it is best to give it a good shift, so 
that a rammer can be used between the soil and the side of the 
pot, as the soil can then be made firm without injuring the roots. 
Rammers slightly curved are the best for this purpose (ash if 
tied to the desired curve when green and well seasoned makes 
good ones'*. The use of this curved rammer is to keep the hand 
away from the plant, as Ericas when trained project over the 
edge of the pot. Two straps about 3 inches wide are very use¬ 
ful when potting large plants to let the ball down into the pot, 
and if it should not be of the required depth to raise it again. 
Avoid deep potting—just cover the old soil. 
The soil should consist of good, rather hard, fibrous peat, 
picked to pieces as large as can be used, the fine being refused, 
mixed with silver sand and charcoal broken small. Do not use 
spongy peat, as it retains moisture too long. After they are 
potted they should be kept rather close and shaded, and have an 
occasional dewing with tbe syringe for a week or ten days, and 
afterwards gradually diminished. I ought also to have said they 
should not be dry when potted, nor in the opposite condition, 
but fairly moist, and they will then stand a few days without 
water if large plants. They may safely be stood outside early 
in September and remain until October. When Ericas are out¬ 
side at any time, whether fresh-potted or not, always have two 
empty inverted pots to each plant to lay them down on in case 
of rain. 
Watering is rather a difficult part of the culture of these 
plants. One man only should attend to them, as he will get to 
know tbe ring of each pot and the requirements of each plant. 
Hard-baked pots (which are best) do not ring so much as soft 
porous pots, and when in the former less water is required. 
During summer it is much easier to err by giving too little than 
too much; they should never be allowed to become very dry at 
any time. Always give enough water to thoroughly soak the 
ball, whether the pot is filled once, twice, or thrice. Another 
point to mention is that the free-growing sorts and plants in 
good condition will take water oftener than slow-growing sorts, 
or plants that may not be in good condition. If they are grown 
in a span-roofed house with east and west aspects they require 
very little shading, except during the middle of the day; but if 
the aspect is south they will require more shading. In training 
use as few stakes as possible, taking tln-ead from one stake to 
another, and looping up a shoot every 2 inches. The stakes 
should not be put into the soil too far, and should be renewed 
every year or two at the most, as they are apt to decay at the 
surface of the soil, and then it is difficult to remove them.— 
J. Gore. 
SYRINGING VINES. 
After reading Mr. Waiting’s letter on the above subject (page 409) 
I feel inclined to differ from him in syringing Vines in flower, as I have 
found from experience that the flowers of Vines are benefited by a 
gentle syringing, properly applied early on a bright morning, especially 
in the case of Muscats and other sorts that are apt to exude a superfluous 
quantity of viscid matter from the stigma. I am of opinion that the cause 
of Grapes not setting is often the result of the “ baking process that 
some persons think so necessary. A plant in a pot which can be watered 
freely if the drainage is good is, I consider, analogous to a Vine in flower 
in respect to moisture if ventilation is perfect. Perhaps this may seem 
rather a bold statement to some, and I admit that it is a mode of 
procedure that requires care, but if we wish for good results close atten¬ 
tion must be given to whatever the charge may be. In syringing Vines 
in flower the chief point is to evaporate the excess of moisture from the 
flower before stagnation takes place, which would result in the decay of 
