44 THE FLORIST, 



CULTIVATION OF THE EPACRIS. No. II. 



Potting. The season for this operation is just when the plants begin 

 to make fresh shoots after being cut down. This happens generally 

 about the beginning of June. The materials necessary are, soil, which 

 has been already described ; drainage, which is made with broken 

 garden-pots in three sizes, — the first tolerably large, to cover the 

 holes at the bottom of the pots ; the second a little less, to lay 

 around and over the bottom ; and the third much smaller, to cover 

 the last ; and if the plants are large, a few broken potsherds should 

 be mixed among the soil ; these act as conductors of the water to 

 every part of the ball of earth, as w^ell as admit the air amongst the 

 roots, and prevent the soil from binding together in a hard compact 

 mass. Pots. These should either be new, or very well cleaned with 

 water and brush both inside and out. The sizes required, as a 

 matter of course, will depend upon the sizes the plants are in. To 

 obtain free, fine growth, the plants ought to be put into pots con- 

 siderably larger each time of potting, till they reach the maximum. 

 For instance, if a plant is in a 5-inch pot, when potted it should be 

 put into one 1\ inches in diameter, the year following into a 10-inch 

 pot, and the year after that into a 14-inch pot, after which the plant 

 will become too unwieldy, and is best thrown away, taking care to 

 have a succession coming on to succeed it. Many would throw 

 them away when they have bloomed in 10-inch pots ; but such cul- 

 tivators as are in the habit of exhibiting find the largest sizes most 

 eff'ective. 



When the season for potting arrives, place a sufficient quantity 

 of soil well mixed and thoroughly prepared in a place where it will 

 become moderately dry. The way to prove this is to take up a 

 handful, squeeze it gently, and let it fall upon the potting-befich ; 

 if it is too wet, it will cling together ; but if in a right state it will 

 break in pieces with the fall, and if too dry it will not cling together 

 at all. In the case of being too wet, it should remain a few days 

 longer to dry ; turning over once or twice during the time will cause 

 it to dry more quickly ; if too dry, the remedy is obvious, spread it 

 out thinly, and give it a gentle shower of w^ater from the fine rose 

 of a watering-pot, mix it then together, and let it lie twenty-four 

 hours, to bring it into the desired state of moisture throughout. 

 Every material being in proper condition, mix the soil intended for 

 large plants with a moderate quantity of potsherds, about the size of 

 hazel-nuts, and then proceed with potting, by bringing a few plants 

 at a time to the potting-bench. Turn one out of its pot, pick out 

 the old drainage, and loosen the roots at the sides with a not too 

 sharp-pointed stick. If the ball appears very dry, let it stand in a 

 vessel of water for a sufficient length of time for the water to pene- 

 trate through it ; and in the meantime prepare a fresh pot of the 

 proper size for its reception. This preparation consists in the drain- 

 ing. Place a large piece of potsherds over the hole at the bottom 

 of the pot, cover this neatly and evenly with the next size, and upon 



