240 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
but if, on the other hand, it be autumn before such is the case, 
it is better to leave them in the cutting pot during the winter, 
and pot off early in the ensuing spring. They require to be 
potted rather firmly at first, either singly or three in a small 
60-pot; after which, place them in a frame near the glass, keep 
it closed and shaded for a few days, and admit air gradually. 
With ordinary success, they can be shifted a second time 
during the season ; that is, if potted off early in the spring. 
Cultivation. — Soil and Potting. Peat or bog earth, and 
silver sand, are the principal constituent ingredients for growing 
heaths. When for very young plants, it should be broken up 
rather fine and somewhat sandy ; but for general purposes, the 
rougher it is the better ; in fact, it cannot well be too rough. 
In order to keep it as open and pervious as possible, mix with 
it a quantity of charcoal broken up into good-sized pieces, 
some freestone, or, what is as good, plenty of pebbles, with 
abundance of silver sand, the latter being a powerful agent as a 
conductor of heat and moisture, and consequently very essential 
in the above composition : thoroughly incorporate the whole 
before using it Peat of a naturally sandy nature is not so 
desirable for growing plants in, as that which is less so ; though 
certainly preferable for the purpose of propagating : but where 
luxuriance of growth is the object, a soil composed of decayed 
vegetable matter, full of fibre, and which will bear handling 
without crumbling to pieces: such as this, if prepared in the 
manner above recommended, will be found to possess more 
fertilising properties than any other. The best soils frequently 
become useless in consequence of injudicious potting and sub¬ 
sequent bad management; in whatever manner the former is 
done, it has no small share in the ulterior results: it is there¬ 
fore of the first importance that such an operation should be 
properly attended to, both with regard to th§ manner in which 
it is performed, and the size of the pot. Some good growers 
have strongly recommended the “ one-shift system” for the 
free-growing sorts, and some tolerable plants have been already 
produced on this principle, but no decided ultimatum has as 
yet been arrived at in respect to it; for whilst we find some 
pursuing it with success, we, on the other hand, find there have 
been tremendous failures, and with some of its strongest sup¬ 
porters. This only proves that whatever qualities the system 
