[Illustration: _WHITE SCOTCH HEATHER (Erica cinerea alba)._]
_E. cinerea_ (Scotch Heather).--Over almost the whole of these islands, from the Highlands of Scotland to the moors of Devon and Cornwall, this Heath occurs more or less abundantly. During the late summer and early autumn--it flowers from July onwards--it covers miles of Exmoor with bright-purple colouring, being usually associated with one of the dwarf autumn-flowering Gorses (_Ulex Gallii_). In gardens it has produced several forms, the two most brilliantly coloured being _atrosanguinea_ and _atropurpurea_, but all the forms of this Heath are beautiful in colour, ranging from white to crimson. _E. carnea_ loves the cool pure mountain air, and on hot and sandy soil in the Thames Valley is short-lived. At the same time it thrives admirably in gardens where a moist, cool bottom can be provided and where the air is pure. Altogether it makes an admirable succession to _E. carnea_.
_E. ciliaris_ (Dorset Heath).--Although in smoky and foggy places, such as London, this Heath is not always satisfactory, in the purer air of the surrounding counties it is a delightful shrub. In some of the old oak-bearing country, in Sussex, for instance, it succeeds to perfection. It is a native of Britain, but is, I believe, confined to Cornwall and Dorset in England, and to Galway in Ireland. It has long, slender, prostrate stems, from which spring erect flower-bearing branches; the rich rose-purple flowers are borne in a long raceme, and they are the largest individually of those of all the native Heaths. The leaves are nearly always in threes, and, like all the younger parts of the plant, are covered with hairs and pubescence; it flowers from July onwards.
[Illustration: _WHITE MEDITERRANEAN HEATH (Erica mediterranea alba)._]
_E. maweana._--This appears to be a fine variety of _E. ciliaris_, with larger leaves and flowers, even richer in colour and of sturdier growth. It was discovered in Portugal some thirty years or so ago by Mr. George Maw, but has not become popular notwithstanding its beauty. It was obtained for the Kew collection from Messrs. Cunningham and Fraser, of Edinburgh, three or four years ago, and certainly promises to be a better grower there than _E. ciliaris_. The flowers are rich crimson and in large racemes.