FOREIGN NOTICES. 



Eoi^elp ^otiee^. 



Winter Treatment and Propagation of Epacrises. — These will have now (Oct. 22) completed 

 their growth and formed their flower-buds. See, therefore, that they are in a proper condition 

 for wintering — their pots clean and the drainage complete; for to have drainage perfect is of 

 more consequence during winter than at any other season : if it is imperfect, the water will lodge 

 in the soil, and turn it sour ; the yoimg roots will then perish, and the plant will soon show the 

 ill effects of such conditions. This fact can not be too strongly pi-essed upon the attention of the 

 young cultivator. Should any worm-casts appear on the surface of the soil, means must be taken 

 to get rid of them. If only one or two pots are infested, the most certain remedy is carefully to 

 turn the ball out of the pot, and if the worms are outside, to gently remove them, without dis- 

 turbing the roots ; but if they are embedded in the soil, they will be more difScult to come at. 

 If the ball be gently struck with the hand, they will cvee\) out of their hiding-places, and may 

 then be destroyed. Should these means fail, let the plants become moderately dry, and then give 

 a good watering with lime-water ; this will effectually displace them. The green fly sometimes 

 prevails in the early part of winter on the young shoots ; these are easily got rid of by smoking 

 with tobacco. The application of water during winter is necessary, but only in very moderate 

 quantities, merely just sufficient to keep the soil somewhat moist, care being taken that the ball 

 is moistened to the center. All the artificial heat that is needed for the Epacris is just enough to 

 keep out frost. If the plants, or part of them, are kept in cold pits, they should be securely cov- 

 ered up every night when frost prevails ; in very severe long-continued frost, it may be necessary 

 to keep them covered closely up even during the day. They have been kept so covered up for a 

 week together without injury ; but on all favorable occasions uncover them, and give them fresh 

 air to dry up damps, and keep the plants fresh and healthy. Air must also be given plentifully 

 to the green-house, both to keep down the temperature and sweeten the atmosphere. Once or 

 twice during the winter let the surface of the soil be stirred, and all Mosses and Lichens removed 

 as well as weeds. Toward spring, when the flower-buds are beginning to push, a top-dressing of 

 fresh mold will be acceptable and useful. 



lu order to perpetuate choice varieties already known, the only way is to strike them from 

 cuttings; they are by no means difficult to propagate in this manner, though certainly not so easy 

 as a Geranium or a Chrjsantliemum. The necessary materials are, some good sandy peat, some 

 pure white silver-sand, and two or three clear bell-glasses, together with a rather warmer house 

 to place the cutting pots iu than the green-house. The best time is when the plants have plenty 

 of young shoots upon them, which generally happens about the end of May. The best cuttings 

 are such as are growing on the side-shoots, because these are not so gross and full of sap as the 

 leading branches. The shoots being in a fit state to take off for cuttings, select some pots of such 

 a size as will allow the bell-glass just to fit within them ; fill the lower parts of the pots with 

 broken potsherds for drainage, lay upon the drainage a thin layer of the rougher parts of the 

 peat, then fill up with roughly sifted peat to within an inch of the top, and fill up the remainder 

 with pure silver-sand ; give a gentle watering from a very finc-rosed watering-pot to settle the 

 sand ; then prepare the cuttings. Take them off about 1 J inch long, trim off the lower leaves 

 carefully with a very sharp knife, without injuring the bark ; Bct the bell-glass upon the sand to 

 make a mark, and within that mai'k put in the cuttings in neat rows across the pot, keeping each 

 variety to itself. Proceed till the number desired to be multiplied is all planted; then give a 

 gentle watering, to settle the sand close to the cuttings; let them stand half an hour 

 hade, to dry the wet off the leaves ; then place the bell-glasses upon them, and set them 



