The Erica and the Heath
All the plants belonging to this genus are of a low, shrub- by habit, with fine acicular foliage. None are natives of America. The fine varieties of our green-houses, with the exception of the common Erica Mediterranean are natives of the Cape of Good Hope, whence the gardener’s term, ” Cape Heaths.”
The erica will not thrive unless the soil is adapted to its peculiar nature; this is often very difficult to learn, and experience must sometimes be the teacher. The soil to obtain is one of a friable nature, full of vegetable fiber. We find in an old magazine the best directions we remember to have met in regard to choice of soil. We give them entire for the benefit of our readers:
