■2 74 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 17. 
rockwork would be very appropriate. Or it might form 
part of a spot devoted to the culture of British and 
foreign hardy Ferns. Two interesting subjects would 
then be combined. 
Soil. —There is, in many places, a difficulty in pro¬ 
curing the right soil for Heaths. In their native wilds 
they grow in a black kind of soil mixed naturally with 
sand and small stones. This, where it can bo had, 
should be got, and beds made with it. Six inches deep 
of this soil would be ample pasture for the Heaths, their 
small, wiry roots seldom run deeper. Yet this soil is 
not absolutely necessary. I have some large plants of 
Erica vagans thriving well in a heavy, common loam, in 
which they were planted three years ago; a thin 
covering of the heath-mould was laid around the roots 
at the time of planting, and a covering of spent tanner’s 
bark on the surface. Still, if I bad the choice, I should 
prefer a thin layer of the soil in which they grow wild. 
In whatever soil they are planted, a covering of the 
common green moss would be greatly beneficial, acting i 
| as a nonconductor both to heat, cold, and moisture; and, 
| besides that, giving a picturesque and natural appearance 
j to the Heathery, such as is difficult to conceive. I have 
j used moss for this purpose for many years, and can 
j confidently speak of its utility and beautiful appearance. 
Indeed, 1 wonder that moss is not used more largely 
than it is. In such a dry season as the present it would 
soon clear the expense of collecting and laying it on,iu 
saving, in a great degree, the labour of watering. More 
especially is it useful to newly-planted shrubs, especially 
Azaleas, Kalmias, Rhododendrons, and such like, as well 
as Heaths. Moss would save, also, a great depth of 
heath-mould. Plants requiring it would thrive equally 
well in half the depth. This I have repeatedly proved 
by experience. So that where moss abounds, or can be 
procured at a moderate price, the cultivator of hardy 
Heaths would act wisely to procure as much as would 
cover his beds with it; an inch thick would be sufficient. 
To keep it from blowing off at first, a few long rods 
laid upon it at five or six inches apart, and kept in their 
place with strong, hooked pegs, would answer the purpose. 
After the moss becomes settled with heavy rains it 
‘ would not blow away. 
Planting. —The best time to procure and plant hardy 
Heaths is as soon as the winter is fairly over, and mild, , 
spring weather set in. Then see that the beds are duly 
prepared to receive the plants. If the situation is low 
and wet, the' ground should be well drained, and the ; 
soil of the beds raised above the general level of the 
places. To keep it up, let the edge of the bed be formed 
with flints, or sand-stone, three or four inches high. 
These stones would be in keeping with the situation, 
and would keep the soil dry, besides raising the dwarfer 
plants nearer to the eye. If such a plan is adopted, 
| an edging of the most dwarf varieties would help to 
i hide the top of the stones, and would, as they grew, in 
time bang over and be exceedingly neat and beautiful. 
Let the soil, whether it is the proper heath-mould or 
a compost approaching to it, be well broken down and 
thoroughly mixed. If, like the soil here, it is of a heavy 
texture, it would be greatly improved by being liberally ! 
mixed with decayed leaf-mould and sand. The beds, 
then, being in a good condition, prepare to put out the : 
plants. I find it most convenient first to set the plants | 
out on the surface of the bed, exactly in the places they 
■ are to occupy. They are more easily arrauged done so 
j than if planted out one by one in a sort of haphazard 
manner. 
The next consideration is grouping the varieties, 
which I must defer to another opportunity, my allotted 
space being full. ^ T. Appleby. 
(To be continued .) 
A TALE OF TRIALS. 
By the Authoress of “My Flowers." 
When we look round upon the social world in which 
we dwell—upou those whose history may reach us from 
other sources—or even upon life, as described in popular 
works, the ground work of such tales being usually drawn 
from facts — in every view we take of human nature 
we are sui’e to find trials, sufferings, or disagreeables. The 
fallen estate of man prevents his ever being really happy, 
until he is called into the state of grace, when his desires 
and affections being all raised from earth, and pointed to 
heaven, worldly influences are weakened, and spiritual 
influences are given, which lift him so much above the 
concerns of earth, that what distracted, vexed, and painfully 
affected him before, loses its power over his mind, and he i 
is brought into that “peace and joy in believing,” which only 
can be called true happiness. Nevertheless, trials, sor- I 
rows, and difficulties attend the steps of the most rejoicing i 
believer, though they do not intermeddle with his joys. There j 
is a needs-be for every one of them, even to him ; and while 
he is in the world he must share the common lot of fallen 
nature. There are, however, sometimes, cases of uncommon 
trial brought before us. Some seem set apart for peculiar 
chastening, in the wise, hut inscrutable providence of God; 
and we are hound, if we cannot always perceive the reason 
of such dealings, to use the lesson for our own benefit. It 
shoidd teach us, at least, to be thankful, and humbled under 
our lesser trials ; to bless the Hand that more lightly 
presses upon us; and to carry our crosses cheerfully and 
actively, that we neglect not the greater advantages we so 
eminently possess. I am going to present to my readers 
the outline of a life, that, from childhood to old age, has 
been one of almost unvaried trial, and I trust it may be 
profitable to us all. 
Mary Waller was left an orphan in her infancy, and was 
brought up in the family of her uncle, General S-. She 
was totally unprovided for; in fact, as destitute as a pauper’s 
child; but she grew up among kind cousins, and felt, per¬ 
haps, as little of her dependence as she could well feel 
during her uncle’s life. At his death, she passed into the 
hands of one of his married daughters, with whom she 
resided. She had many attached friends, for her character 
was amiable; and, although so purely penniless, she passed 
from one to the other, receiving food and raiment at their 
hands, and doing everything she could in return, to show 
her grateful feelings. Few trials are so heavy to hear as 
total dependance ; but Mary supported it with sweetness and 
patience ; and every one loved to have her, and always sent 
for her in time of trouble to nurse or comfort them. At 
last a gleam of sunshine broke out, by a legacy being left 
her, which, though trifling, enabled her to possess something 
she could call her own; but, alas ! it was but a way to deepen 
the after-darkness. The person entrusted with the payment 
of the scanty provision betrayed his trust, and poor Mary 
lost her little riches, and was thrown back upon her former 
dependance, having tasted the sweetness of her own little 
pocket-money just long enough to miss it. 
There was something particularly melancholy in Mary 
Waller’s path through life, inasmuch as that her friends 
were one by one taken away from her; she seemed to dwell 
in the valley of the shadow of death, for wherever she went, 
she received the parting breath of one she loved. All her 
cousins, excepting two, were taken away, and many friends 
besides ; and in almost every case her kind and gentle hand 
closed their eyes. For some years she resided, still depend- 
antly, with one of those relatives, the wife of a clergyman ; 
and with this quiet couple she advanced into middle life. 
Mrs. C-was to be another exemplification of poor Mary’s 
peculiar calling. She suffered from that most dreadful of 
all maladies, a cancer. For many months she was watched 
over, and waited on, by her sympathising cousin, till the 
painful and distressing termination again tore from poor 
Mary’s heart an affectionate and tried friend. Mrs. C-, 
however, left, out of her small means, a few hundred pounds 
to Mary, subject, of course, to her husband’s life, to whom 
Mary performed a daughter’s part during the very short 
time he survived his wife. He was a man of much learning, 
but child like inaptitude for all other things ; and when his 
right hand and slay was taken from him, he soon faded and 
