18 THE FLORIST. 



pounded bricks, and small pebbles. We need not say more 

 in regard to the cultivation of the Epacris, as a useful article 

 on the subject, by Mr. Appleby, is subjoined. Mr. Appleby's 

 extensive experience, as £oricultural manager to Messrs. Hen- 

 derson of Pine- Apple Place, renders his observations valuable ; 

 we therefore recommend them to the attentive consideration 

 of our readers. 



CULTIVATION OF THE EPACRIS. No. I. 



Few inhabitants of our greenhouses surpass this interesting genus 

 in beauty ; nevertheless, when grown as they often are, they form 

 naked straggling shrubs, with only a few branches bearing few 

 flowers here and there. Fine specimens are sometimes exhibited 

 at the metropohtan shows; but whoever is in the habit of seeing 

 different places where collections of plants are growm, must luwe 

 been struck with the meagre, starved, badly-flowered plants geneiaily 

 found there. This should not be in these enlightened days, when the 

 press teems with gardening periodicals, in which experienced men, 

 with no niggard hand, give the public with all sincerity the details of 

 their experience. In order to understand the treatment they require, 

 a glance at the climate of their native country will be useful. 



The climate of Australia is remarkable for its dryness, arising no 

 doubt partly from its greater breadth of land than water. There are 

 few rivers, and still fevrer inland lakes ; and as a natural consequence, 

 there is not much evaporation to supply the air wdth moisture to form 

 clouds, from which refreshing showers would fall to revive the face of 

 nature, and give health and vigour to vegetation. Rain sometimes 

 does not fall for months, nay years ; hence the plants of Europe lan- 

 guish and almost perish, but native plants are wonderfully adapted to 

 the climate. It must have been observed that the generality of plants 

 from that country have a harsh, dry foliage, which perspires very 

 slowly, and thus enables them to withstand the dry atmosphere 

 around them. This is particularly the case with Epacrises, and 

 ought to be borne in mind in their treatment. 



To be successful in their cultivation, the following points must 

 be attended to : 1st, the house or habitation for them ; '2d, the soil; 

 3d, potting ; 4th, watering ; 5th, general management ; 6th, propa- 

 gation. 



The House. — The best habitation for them is a span-roofed house, 

 facing east and west, with glass roof and upright sashes on all sides. 

 The upper lights of the roof should be movable, and the side-sashes 

 should every one of them be so contrived as to open for the purpose 

 of giving air. The best mode is to hang with weights, so as to be 

 easily moved up in cold weather, and down when the external atmo- 

 sphere is mild. When they are all open, there will be a thorough 

 draught of refreshing air passing through and amongst the plants. 

 They should be placed upon a stage in the centre of the house, and 



