April 29. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
63 
many last autumn. Soon after the time I am writing 
about, I sent a whole van-load of these, and other rare 
plants, to the Surrey Zoological Gardens, then owned 
by Mr. Cross, from a suggestion by Mr. Loudon in The 
Gardeners' Magazine; and I heard afterwards that a 
Curcuma, with immense leaves, which stood out four 
summers with me, was sent to Mrs. Maryatt, at Wim¬ 
bledon House. I have no room now to mention the 
plants pointed out to me by “ Dodman” as most suitable 
for this kiud of experiment, but I like the idea much, 
where it can be carried out; and from the above, though 
on a small scale, no one need fear that our summer 
climate is too cold in July, August, and September, for 
any plant from any part of the world. D. Bkaton, 
CAPE HEATPIS. 
(Continued from page 34.) 
Position. — I have already instanced how our friends, 
with one house, and vines up the rafters even of that 
house, may grow heaths successfully, if they coniine 
their attention chiefly to winter and spring-blooming 
species and varieties. Those who have only one house, 
though devoted entirely to plants, and inay-be some 
simple auxiliary structure besides, will find, if they try 
a more mixed collection, that much of their success wiil 
depend upon the position the plants occupy at the 
different periods of then - growth. What we have to say, 
however, must be taken in connection with what has 
been advanced upon times of flowering, pruning, pot¬ 
ting, &c., as no one would think of treating a newly- 
potted plant like a plant established in its pot, &c. 
Keeping these matters in view I shall glance 
First, at the position Heaths should occupy in winter .— 
In every case they should have full access to light, and 
be near the glass, with command of fresh air at pleasure. 
Wherever it is possible, however, a classification should 
be made—those blowing and showing for bloom being 
kept in the warmest end ; those growing on for spring 
and early summer flowering, in a medium position; and 
those that will come in in the end of summer being kept 
the coolest. For the first, unless there is plenty of sun¬ 
shine to open the flowers during the day, the average 
artificial night temperature will not answer below 45°; 
for the second group 40°; and for the third 35°. I have 
already instanced, under temperature, the general prin¬ 
ciples to be observed in this respect, and it is safest to 
avoid extremes. By such arrangement we can give 
most air to the third, less to the second, and least to the 
first. For all, ah will be necessary; but for the second 
group, and the third especially, it should never be 
omitted, unless the atmosphere is so foggy that it 
would place the plants in a mist, which, if it does gain 
entrance, must be expelled by extra heat; or so frosty 
and dry that the plants would be robbed of their juices 
as effectually as if placed before a roaring fire, in the 
latter case, if the sun on the upright glass should raise 
the temperature inconveniently high, it is better to 
shade and damp the house in preference to giving air. 
All tliis can be better done by arranging plants in 
groups, instead of placing the plants in bloom in a 
geometric regularity over the house. 
Secondly, Position in Spring, —which we may consider 
as embracing from the end of February to past the 
middle of May. The generality of the plants may 
occupy a similar position in the house to that they did 
in winter; artificial heat will seldom be necessary after 
the end of March; and if people could be weather 
oracles, or, what would answer as well, attend to their 
house the last thing late at night, the houses need never, 
unless in extreme cases, be shut up entirely after the 
middle of April. The air left at first should be at the 
end where the latest flowering plants are placed. Of 
course this would not answer so well where you have a 
mixed lot of soft-wooded plants, growing or in bloom. 
The only thing against leaving the plants in a position 
so near the glass, arises from the injury often done to the 
roots (unless care is exercised) by a bright sun beating 
upon the red pots. Attention to water and air will 
lessen the danger, but not remove it. After many trials 
1 have found nothing superior to the clumsy mode of 
placing the plant with its pot inside of a pot still larger, 
and stuffing the space between them at the rim and the 
bottom with moss. Some patrons of neatness may 
shrug their shoulders at your want of dressedness, but 
console yourselves by the thought that confined air is a 
bad conductor of heat; and remember, that whilst the 
branches of your plants are nourished by the sun’s rays, 
the roots are delightfully equal—neither parched, nor 
swamped—scorched at one time, nor frosted at another. 
In these utilitarian days why should we not have pots, 
cheap and light, with double sides for valuable plants, 
and something more artistic than they are at present ? 
Any enterprising pot-maker is welcome to the hint: he 
may patent it too, if he likes; though I would throw 
patents and registering to the winds, and try and get 
the first start in the market. When that is done the 
colour of the pot may be what you like, if not too fight, 
nor too dismal. With our present pots it would be of 
no great use altering the colour so far as mere culture is 
concerned. The various shades of red hold a medium 
place as respects the absorbing, the radiating, and the 
reflection of heat. If so dark as to approach a black, 
heat from the sun is rapidly absorbed, and as rapidly 
parted with afterwards. If so light as to approach a 
white, the reflection of heat is so powerful as to in¬ 
convenience vegetation in its neighbourhood. The 
cottage housewife knows that the quickness of cook¬ 
ing in a tin Dutch oven, belore the fire, depends 
upon the brightness of the interior side of the metal. 
The young gardener who claps a substitute called a 
bonnet of the same metal, behind a plate containing his 
rasher of bacou, knows the same fact. If from dirt, or 
otherwise, it becomes dark in colour, the heat is ab¬ 
sorbed and radiated partly into the kitchen, instead of 
being reflected on the meat. Truths do not alter, though 
we may alter and forget them. I have seen vegetation 
that could not be made to thrive near the top of the 
back wall in a house, until that wall was made darker in 
colour. It is very easy, therefore, to have the plastering 
and wood-work in a plant-house, on which the rays of 
the sun strike, so white, as to scorch the vegetation 
near it by reflection of heat. Even out of doors I have 
found it difficult to get little plants of a crawling nature 
to go over the lips of vases that were light in colour, 
while over those of a darker stone-colour they would 
hang and festoon in the greatest luxuriance. A very 
fight whitish-colour, in a pot single or double, we should 
look upon as very trying to the lower branches of 
heaths, though it might be superior to some other 
colours, so far as the roots were concerned, as reflecting 
and absorbing powers are generally opposed to each 
other. These double pots will be of advantage during 
the season. Few, except the hardiest heaths, will now 
be benefited by being placed out of doors. This digres¬ 
sion about pots, in a chapter on position, is more seem 
ing than real. Trifles are the foundation of success 
He was no flat who propounded the adage “ Look after 
the pence, the pounds will take care of themselves.’ 
Though abased for encouraging penuriousness, it con¬ 
tains a great gonerally-applicable philosophic truth. 
Third. —The position of the Heaths in summer. —This 
we would suppose to range from the end of May to the 
middle of September. Here we would avoid any sudden 
extreme; but the treatment in the middle of summer I 
requires to be very different from what obtained in the | 
middle of spring, j ust because the circumstances of the j 
