244 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
very cause than from any other I am acquainted with.* Where 
they are kept during the summer in houses, a good practice is 
to put the pot into a larger one, filling the empty space with 
sand or moss, which, when kept moist, answers the same pur¬ 
pose as plunging out of doors. The advantages are manifest; 
it secures the radiculae against the danger of suffering from 
the action of the sun on the pot, around the side of which the 
gieatest number of spongioles, or, in other words, feeders, are, 
and if at all injured, the other parts of the plant must suffer. 
I therefore hold it to be exceedingly wrong to stand them out 
without protecting their roots in some way or other from the 
sun s scorching rays, and keeping a moist and cool body where 
it is most requisite. 
Structures. The best kind of structure for heaths is one 
having a loose span roof, with the top lights running down half 
way on each side; and where the side and end sashes can be 
let wholly down when required, so that, if necessary, air can be 
admitted at every point, and the house nearly thrown open. 
They will succeed as well, if not better, in pits, provided they 
stand on a dry bottom ; — a pit constructed in a similar manner to 
that just recommended for the house, with this exception, that, 
instead of the side sashes there should be brick work about 
^2 hi&hj intersected with plenty of frame-work where air 
can be admitted at pleasure, the lights fastened at the roof by 
means of hinges, and means provided for tilting them up when 
required. Where such as this cannot be had, common brick pits 
are the best; but wherever they are placed, they should have 
abundance of air when the weather will permit; a cool and dry 
situation where the frost cannot reach should be their winter- 
quarters. 
Diseases . The only disease heaths are subject to is the 
mildew; the cause of which I conceive to be,^as a late writer 
on the subject has observed, “ the want of a balance of moisture 
in the composition of the soil and the atmosphere, rather than, 
as is commonly supposed, to an excess of it in the former. The 
* An experiment which has been attended with decided success, has been 
made here this season; and as I am not aware that any thing similar has 
ever been tried before with the heath, I will here mention it. Some strong 
and healthy plants were selected from amongst others of a similar kind ; 
these were watered once a fortnight with limpid guano water. The im¬ 
provement caused by this treatment was so distinguishable, that the most 
superficial observer could not pass without remarking it. 
