FEBRUARY. 17 



THE EPACRIS. 



It has been said that a garden is among the most delightful 

 things that human art has prepared for our recreation and 

 refreshment. We need hardly state, however, that a garden 

 in winter is very different from a garden in summer. In win- 

 ter few flowers grace the parterre. The walks, instead of 

 being firm, hard, and dry, are soft and damp. • The lawn 

 wears a sombre hue, very different from the vivid green of 

 May. The woods are stript of their summer garments, and 

 but for our evergreens, our shrubberies would indeed look 

 naked and thin. It is at times like these, when the vernal 

 Phlox, the early Primrose, the Hepatica, the Christmas Pose, 

 and a few such flowers alone present themselves, that we feel 

 the full benefits of cheap glass. Plant-houses, instead of being, 

 as formerly, confined to the gardens of the nobility, are now 

 becoming attached to every villa residence. Here, at a tri- 

 fling amount of labour and outlay, can be produced such floral 

 gems as cheat the winter of half its gloominess. During 

 this month, which is often the most cheerless in the whole 

 year, we can have Hyacinths, early Tidips, Narcissus, Snow- 

 drops, and other spring bulbs ; Primulas, Camellias, Corrseas, 

 Heaths, Epacrises, and many other plants, whose gaiety 

 partly compensates for the loss of out-door blossoms. Here 

 we can repair, and enjoy a floral treat under genial influences, 

 when all beyond is cold and comfortless. It therefore be- 

 hoves us to pay much attention to the winter decoration of 

 our little glass-house, and for that purpose we have thought 

 it well to furnish our readers this month with a plate of Epa- 

 crises ; for, after all, where shall we find more gay or more 

 deserving spring-flowering shrubs than are the different va- 

 rieties of this lovely genus ? The three varieties we have 

 selected for representation were raised in the Poyal Gardens, 

 Frogmore, by Mr. Ingram, to whom we have at various times 

 been indebted for many excellent hybrid productions. The 

 light one, Rosea Alba, was produced from Impressa ferti- 

 lised with !Miniata. The other two, Ingramii and Elegans, 

 are the result of crossing Miniata with Grandiflora. The 

 seed, we learn, was sown in December 1849. It germinated 

 freely, and the plants were pricked out the following March. 

 They were afterwards transferred to three-inch pots, and 

 shifted gradually on as they advanced in growth. They evi- 

 dently possess a free-flowering habit, and will, we entertain 

 no doubt, prove a good addition to this useful and ornamental 

 tribe of plants. They were grown in rough peat, silver sand, 



NEW SERIES. VOL. II. NO. XIV. C 



