THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, November 25, 1856. 129 
teresting and satisfactory than greater numbers much 
crowded, or kept in such a small state that their cha¬ 
racter can never be fairly seen or appreciated. 
R. Fish. 
CULTURE OF EXOTIC HEATHS. 
( Continued, from page 23.) 
Potting. —This is a most important point in the 
culture of these charming plants. If I had a number 
of different-sized plants to pot, I would, in the first 
place, select out all the smaller ones, and prepare the 
soil for them first. The soil should be chopped and 
broken, and then passed through a quarter of an inch 
meshed sieve, reserving the turfy pieces that will not 
pass through to be used as drainage; then mix this 
sifted soil very freely with white sand. For larger plants 
I pass the soil, after it is well broken, through an inch- 
meshed sieve. 
Having made the soil to my mind, I then look out for 
pots. If they are new and fresh from the pottery I think 
they are much improved by soaking in water for twelve 
hours. If old, they should be scoured well, inside and 
out, till they are perfectly clean. In both cases let them 
he well dried previously to using. Cleanliness is quite as 
essential to keep plants healthy as it is to animals. The 
soil and pots being duly and properly prepared, and 
put in a convenient place, the next article required is 
the drainage. The best material for this indispensable 
ingredient are broken pots. These may be made ready 
by a boy or a woman on rainy day3. They should be 
in three sizes; one large, to cover the holes at the bottom 
of the pots ; another rather smaller, to cover the largest 
pieces; and a third broken fine about the size of peas. 
The largest quantity needful will be of this lattef size. 
I always found it most convenient to have each size put 
into garden-pans; one of the largest size, two of the 
smaller, and four of the smallest. These quantities or 
proportions I generally found correct in using them for 
potting. All these materials being ready, and placed 
handy, then commence potting the small plants, using 
the finer-sifted soil. I would always give a shift, even 
for these small plants, large enough to allow the finger 
of the potter room round the old ball to press down the 
soil. I do not approve of a stick for this part of the 
operation, unless that stick is made of the same form as 
a finger. Place a large piece of pot over the hole, around 
it place a layer of the next size, then a rather thicker 
layer of the third size, and upon that a thin layer of the 
rough siftings, taking care that they are well sanded. 
The pot should be deep enough to allow a thin layer of 
the sifted soil upon the drainage, and to allow the ball 
of the plant about to be potted to stand just below the 
rim of the pot; place it in the centre, and then work in 
the fresh soil well-mixed with sand around it, pressing 
it firmly down, so that the soil will, when the pot is 
filled, bear the pressure of the hand without leaving any 
visible impression; cover the ball, also, with fresh soil; 
then shake the whole well down, so that when the opera¬ 
tion is finished the soil for these small plants will be 
half an inch below the level of the rim. This space will 
hold as much water as will thoroughly moisten the 
whole of the soil in each pot. Proceed thus with all the 
small plants till they are finished. Should any of the 
balls, when turned out of the pots, be found dry, such 
balls should be. put into water for an hour or so to soak, 
so that the water may penetrate to the very centre. Pre¬ 
viously to placing the ball in the pot look to the roots. If 
very much matted, it will be desirable to loosen them 
carefully a little with a sharp-pointed stick, and to pick 
out all, or nearly all, of the old drainage. This more 
especially applies to larger and older plants. 
When the smaller plants are all potted, then take the 
next size, using, of course, larger pots, and allowing 
more space between the rim and the old ball. In 
putting in the fresh soil I generally insert here and 
there a few pieces of broken sandstone, or, if that is 
not handy, some roundish pieces of broken pots. These 
serve to keep the soil open. For these larger plants I 
use the rougher-sifted soil, and give rather more drainage 
at the bottom of each pot. For very large plants larger 
pots and more soil must be used. I suppose such 
plants to be two feet high, and as much through. In 
potting such plants I allow fully three inches between 
the old ball and the sides of the new pots. The same 
precautions should be taken to loosen the outside of the 
old ball, and to pick out the old drainage. For such 
large plants the soil should not be sifted at all, but only 
well broken with the hand, the roots of Heath or 
Fern picked out, and also any large stones there may be 
in it. A larger amount of pieces of broken sandstone 
may he usefully pressed down amongst the soil, to allow 
the water to enter more readily to the centre of the ball. 
Also, a larger space below the rim of each pot should be 
left to hold sufficient water to thoroughly moisten the 
large body of earth necessary for such large plants. 
Large plants also require a proportionate quantity of 
drainage. I always used half an inch of large pieces, 
covering entirely the bottom of the pot; then an inch 
of the second size, and fully an inch and a half of the 
smallest size, with an inch or more of rough siftings on 
that layer. The rough siftings are useful to prevent 
the washing down of the finer particles of the soil 
amongst the broken pots, and thus choking up the 
drainage. If all these points in potting are attended 
to with due care, and due attention paid to other parts 
of management, I have no fear but the cultivator 
will find his Heaths grow as freely and flower as 
abundantly as any other tribe of plants. As soon 
as all are potted they should have a good watering. 
The water should be applied through a fine-rosed water¬ 
ing-pot, so that the soil will not be washed into holes, or 
run over the sides of the pots. The plants should then 
be placed where they can be sheltered from the sun for 
a month till fresh roots are produced. 
The best season for this operation of potting is in 
the spring. Any time from the beginning of April to 
the middle of June will answer. Summer and autumn 
pottings do not answer so well, because then the plants 
have not time to fill the new soil with roots; and, in 
such a case, the soil becomes sodden and sour, and the 
young roots decay at the ends, the plants become sickly, 
turn yellow, and die. I have seen many a fine Heath 
destroyed by late potting. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued .) 
THE RUBBISH-HEAP AND ITS USES. 
There are few r things that have been longer despised 
than the Rubbish-heap, yet there are still fewer that 
might be turned to better account. I am glad, however, 
to see that the march of progress has not altogether 
neglected this useful adjunct to all gardens, as the in¬ 
creased quantity of ground brought under spade cultiva¬ 
tion in the last few years, as well as the high price of 
foreign manures, which the enterprising farmer thought 
it his interest to buy, has led to the more careful adop¬ 
tion of all home-produced materials ; and not the least 
useful of these is the refuse of the garden and other 
waste, usually collected, or rather, carelessly deposited, in 
some obsure corner. That a place of this sort is necessary 
there can be no question ; but that it ought to be turned 
to useful account is also important, and, therefore, a few 
hints in that way may not be out of place. 
I will suppose that circumstances have fixed the site, 
which is not unusual, where composts for potting and j 
