The Tetrathica in habit of growth very much resembles the Cape Heath, and the treatment generally given to the Heath will be found to suit it pretty well. It is a native of New Holland, and was introduced to this country about the year 1845. It is one of the choicest of our greenhouse plants, and most useful either for house or conservatory decoration. As it naturally flowers during the months of June and July, it is one of the best of plants for exhibition at that time. It is not nearly so much grown as it deserves to be, for it is worthy of a place in the most select collection of plants.

The soil best adapted to it consists of good fibry peat with a little loam added, and plenty of silver sand, with a small quantity of charcoal. It is essential that the plants should be potted firmly; especially after they come to be in pots from 5 inches upwards, a rammer should be used.

The plant is somewhat inclined to be of straggly habit of growth, and therefore, in order to keep it in due bounds, and make a compact specimen, the knife should be used pretty freely annually: it stands pruning well, breaking away again freely.

It is propagated by cuttings of the side shoots, which should be put in in the usual way, in silver sand, and under a bell-glass, and the pot plunged in a gentle bottom-heat. The cuttings are very liable to damp off, and therefore great care should be taken in drying up the condensed moisture from the inside of the glass daily, until the cuttings are rooted. As soon as this takes place, they should be potted off into thumb-pots, and replunged in the bed, which will help to prevent the pots from getting dry so quickly, and thus save repeated waterings. They should be kept pretty closely pinched when young, so that a good foundation may be laid at first. As soon as the small pots are filled with roots they may be shifted into 3-inch pots, and this will carry them through the first season. In order to keep them as dwarf as possible, they should be kept as near the glass as circumstances will permit. A temperature during winter of from 40° to 50° will suit them, and care must be taken that they be not over-watered during the dull winter months; but, in avoiding this, care must also be taken not to rush into the opposite extreme, and allow them to suffer for want of a sufficient supply.

After they have started into growth again in spring, they may be shifted into say 5-inch pots, and this will carry them through the second year. It is better to give small shifts, and more frequently, rather than large shifts; the plants will thus be more easily kept in good health - the tendency of the roots being to rush to the sides of the ball first. By small and frequent shifts, the centre of the ball will also get filled with roots. During the summer months the plants may be placed out of doors; but the pots should be plunged among coal-ashes, so that the sun may not injure the roots which are in contact with the sides of the pot. They should be housed again by the end of September. The after treatment will consist of training, cutting them back when they get too straggly, and in shifting them as they require it. J. G., W.