455 
PART IL 
HORTICULTURAL AND RURAL SUBJECTS. 
REVIEWS AND EXTRACTS. 
Article I. — Reviews of, and Extracts from, Works on 
Gardening, 8^c. 
1. —A Treatise ojj the Propagation, Cultivation, and Gene^ 
RAL Treatment of Cape Heaths. By W. McNab, C.M.H.S. 
Superintendant of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, &c. &c. 
2sMd., with a coloured engraving. 
We have peculiar satisfaction in recommending this little pamphlet to all 
gardeners, and other persons, who are admirers of this beautiful tribe of 
plants; and although we are apt to be sanguine, we cannot avoid conceiving 
that the perusal of it will be a great means of stimulating many persons to 
cultivate Heaths, who have hitherto been afraid to venture, on account of a 
multitude of apparent difficulties in their propagation and culture: all these 
difficulties Mr. Me. Nab has, in this pamphlet, proved to be merely imaginery, 
and has satisfactorily shown that Ericas may be grown to perfection with as 
little, if not less difficulty than any other Cape plants inhabiting our green¬ 
houses. 
The excellent practical experience of the author is so well known, that it 
would be useless to introduce this is an arghment in favour of the work. It 
contains 43 pages of plain directions,—on the propagation of Heaths, and the 
treatment of them while young,—the soil best suited for their growth,—the 
different shiftings necessary,—and the general treatment when in the house 
or out of doors. 
We cannot forbear extracting from some of the most prominent parts of its 
contents;—this we do,*to show our readers something of its excellence; but 
all who can conveniently spare the money to purchase it, may sit down under 
the impression that it is a half-crown well spent. We are also very anxious 
to give the greatest publicity to Mr. Me. Nab’s xecellent directions, for we 
believe them to be undoubtedly the best that have ever yet appeared on the 
subject of Heaths. 
“The general mode (and, indeed the best mode) of propagating Cape Heaths 
in this country, is by cuttings: the greater portion strike root freely when the 
young wood is taken, after it has become sufficiently firm so as to prevent its damp¬ 
ing off. The pots for their reception should be about nine or ten inches in diame¬ 
ter at the mouths; fill them to within an inch and a half of the top, with broken 
pot, or coarse ashes, the upper part of which should be ofa smaller size than those 
below ; over which should be placed a thin layer of Fog, i^Hypnum) a moss so 
called, to prevent the sand from working down amongst the draining, then the 
