Yellow Heath

YELLOW HEATH, Erica Carendishian

ERICA Carendishiana derives its name from having been formerly known as the "Duke of Devonshire's golden heath." Its history is involved in some obscurity. It came into being anterior to the days of illustrated horticultural periodicals, and therefore obtained less attention than such a fine plant would have attracted at the present day on first appearing as a novelty. It was raised by the Messrs. Rollison and Sons, of the celebrated Tooting Nurseries, by fertilising the flowers of Erica depressa with the pollen of E. Patersoni. Both these have yellow flowers, and the Cavendish hybrid is a finer plant than either of them, and particularly well adapted for specimen cultivation. In the times that are spoken of as the "palmy days of Chiswick," the Cavendish heath was eminently fashionable, and Mr. Fairbairn, of Clapham, used to exhibit enormous specimens in a wondrous state of health and beauty. But even in these degenerate days we occasionally see it in perfect trim as a specimen plant, among the most successful cultivators of recent years being Mr. Thomas Baines, formerly of Bowdon, and Messrs. Cole, of Withington. At the present time among the ablest men in handling the plant are Mr. Cypher, of Cheltenham, and Mr. Tudgey, of Waltham.

Between the growing of gigantic specimens, and the neat little plants that suit an amateur's greenhouse, there is considerable difference. A collection of heaths may be formed and kept at little expense, and to speak the truth about them, they are very easy to grow, and also very easy to kill; and the failures that occur usually represent a waste of delicate attentions. When housed with bedding plants and kept warm and close all the winter, and liberally and frequently watered, they die and do not come to life again. They belong to the more breezy and bracing climates of the Cape, and in cultivation require free ventilation, very moderate allowances of water, abundance of light, and to be guarded against all extremes of heat, cold, drought, and humidity. The men who succeed best with heaths group them in airy spacious houses with other plants of like character, such as hedaromas and epacrises, and other "hard-wooded plants." But a considerable proportion of the Cape heaths are so nearly hardy that, with ordinary care, a brick pit without any fire-heat will suffice for their safe wintering. The great point is to protect them from damp, towards effecting which perfect cleanliness and systematic ventilation will contribute in the most direct manner.