December 17, 1904. 
THE GARDEN l IS Q WORLD . 
1021 
Erica gracilis nivalis. 
Even amidst the neglect to which, the beautiful family of 
Cape Heaths is generally subjected, it is interesting to note 
that E. gracilis still finds an important plaice amongst those 
which are grown more or less extensively for market purposes. 
Its value depends upon the fact that it is in itself intrinsically 
beautiful, easily grown, and comes into bloom at a time when 
flowers, apart from Chiysanthemumis, are getting scarce. It 
is also valuable as coming between the summer-dowering kinds 
and the hybrid E. hyemalis, which dowers essentially when 
winter is passing away and in spring. 
E. gracilis was introduced from South Africa in 1774, and 
has a great, profusion of warm rosy-red dowers covering every 
stem and branch of the plant. These dowers are urceolate, 
that is urn-shaped—'being contracted at the mouth, and though 
of small sizei they are produced in great abundance!, their 
season extending from September to December. It may be 
said to take the place of E. persoluta, which dowers in spring. 
The leaves are produced four in a whorl on a plant 
usually not exceeding 1 ft. in height. The plant is 
therefore well adapted for cultivation in 48-size pots 
for decorative purposes. 
The variety which we illustrate on this occasion 
has pure white dowers, as the varietal name is in¬ 
tended to imply. Whether it may be considered 
better than the type is quite another matter in face 
of the fact that it serves as a contrast to the rosy-red 
one and helps to emphasise its beauty. On the other 
hand, most of us are aware that white dowers are ex¬ 
ceedingly popular for market purposes during the 
winter months. In priVate establishments the type 
and the variety might well be grown to eke out. the 
display in cool conservatories and greenhouses during 
the autumn and early winter months. We observed 
a dne group of it at the autumn show of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society on November 2nd, 3rd, and 
4th last, where a group of it had been put up by 
Messrs. Gregory and Evans, Longlands Nursery, 
Sidcup, Kent, who received a Silver Gilt. Medal for 
their table of the two Heaths which we have just 
named. 
Chrysanthemum La Petite Marie. 
Some years ago stress was laid upon the beauty 
of this variety for outdoor culture, but notwithstand¬ 
ing its beauty it proves didicult of cultivation, and 
few there were who could manage it. For this reason 
it has largely disappeared from cultivation, though 
we think that climatic conditions have much to do with its 
success or otherwise. We have on more than one occasion 
seen it doing well under different conditions in Scotland. In 
September last we noted a dne lot of it in the grounds of 
Holyrood Palace forming an edging to a large bed. The 
plants were 9 in. to 12 in. high and of similar width, while they 
were laden with their characteristic small pure white dowers. 
The latter are also fragrant, which gives this plant additional 
recommendation. Some growers would be satisded with half 
the dowers grown on pot plants. Mr. William Alexander, the 
superintendent, seems to have no difficulty with it whatever. 
The Sea Buckthorn. 
Usually the above plant, also known as Hippophae rham- 
noides, is most appreciated for the sake of its orange-coloured 
berries in autumn and early winter. Others who only succeed 
in getting one form of the plant are satisfied with the grey 
foliage which the plant produces when allowed to develop to 
the size of a small tree. In the landscape of parks and private 
grounds its effect for the foliage alone is certainly sufficient 
recommendation for including it in such places. 'There is, 
however, another method of employing it to get the fine effect 
of the foliage. Good-sized bushes are planted in large clumps 
or masses, and hard cut hack in spring some time before 
growth commences. As a result of this severe cutting vigorous 
stems are produced bearing shoots 1 ft. to 2 ft. in length 
during the course of the season. The leaves on such strong 
stems are longer, larger and more decidedly grey than any old 
unpruned plants. The result is a mass of grey foliage which 
is very effective by contrast with green grass and other trees 
and shrubs. It is probably seldom that this treatment is given 
the Sea Buckthorn, but we noted a very good example of it in 
the grounds of Holyrood Palace during the past season, where 
trees and shrubs are largely used in filling the massive beds on 
the lawns surrounding the Palace. 
Priming. 
The next two or -three months brings into practice a most- 
irnpci"taut work among fruit trees of all descriptions, viz., 
pruning. This work is more or less carelessly performed witli 
Erica gracilis nivalis. 
poor judgment by unskilled hands;, who yet expect a, tree to 
be productive. How often do we hear of that or this tree 
having been unsatisfactory in fruiting for several seasons 
-simply because it has not had enough -encouragement, and 
may be through this cause I am writing about-. It is -easy 
for -a man to -come along, implements in hand, knife and whet- 
stone (secateurs in most cases, sorry to say, which in my 
opinion, and in that of many others, doi more harm than good). 
The result, too, often ends- in a ragged wound to the wood under 
the operation, instead of a clear cut with & sharp knife. We 
can compare this to any wound .indicted upon the 'hands, which 
often takes place in -pruning by accidentally knocking skin off, 
or the knife slips in some mistake and we get ai cut. A cut, 
for instance, soon 'heals if the system is in good order. The 
same applies to a cut branch or young shoot. The tree 
being pruned at the right time, not too early or too late, the 
parts severed soon heal, so I for one recommend ihe knife for 
preference. 
Take a Peach tree or Nectarine or any ether that fruits on 
the growth made annually. We admire a tree of good shape 
and well furnished with fruiting wood. In nine cases- out of 
t-em we meet with badly shaped ones, the fault of disbudding 
o-r improper pruning. We look for the former to dispense with 
the latter, -and too often do we find that nearly twice as much 
wood is left for the poor tree to struggle along with than there 
