192 CULTIVATION OF TIIK GKNUS EPACKIS, 



wood, on which depends the future display of blossoms. When 

 the plant is propei'ly pruned and shifted it should be at once 

 placed in a warmer atmosphere, there to grow and ripen its wood. 

 During its growth stop the young shoots frequently, more par- 

 ticularly of the strong growing varieties, such as Grandiflora, 

 Impressa, &c. These should often be stopped, say at 6 or 8 inches, 

 for if allowed to grow too long they will be destitute of flower- 

 buds and will require support from sticks, which should be 

 avoided as much as possible. It will also be advisable, where the 

 shoots are too thick, to take them off close to the stem, so as to 

 prevent them from growing again. 



Having no other convenience at this place, I grow my Epa- 

 crises in the pine-stove, where, although they do very well, yet 

 the hot sun is almost too strong for them ; for towards the middle 

 of summer it causes the young shoots to droop. A pit where 

 they could be shaded, or a vinery, would, I should think, be more 

 suitable for them ; but where none of these places can be had, 

 then they must occupy the warmest part of the greenhouse ; and 

 when this is so the plants should not be i^runed so closely as 

 when heat can be had, for the young shoot will not in that case 

 grow so long, and will consequently ripen sooner. The plants 

 should never be turned out of doors at any time, except when 

 they have been grown in heat and the wood brought to maturity 

 early ; then a few weeks out of doors will be of benefit to them, 

 rendering them more hardy for the greenhouse in winter. The 

 advantages of growing Epacrises in heat, consist in the certainty 

 of having every shoot covered with flowers ; and by placing the 

 plants in heat at different times, a constant succession of flower- 

 ing plants during the winter and spring will be obtained. 



By carefully attending to pruning and growing them in heat, 

 Epacrises may be kept handsome in appearance, and in good 

 health, for many years, and will never fail to produce a regular 

 crop of bloom in due season. It is well known, and perliaps still 

 believed by many, that E. grandiflora was considered a shy bloomer: 

 the reason of this is, that being always grown in the greenhouse 

 and the shoots allowed to attain any length without stopping, 

 they never got properly ripened, and the few flowers that did 

 expand were only on the smallest and shortest shoots, which ripen 

 early ; this shows the necessity of having a supply of these short 

 shoots on every part of the plant. The more weakly growing 

 kinds, such as Pulchella, will not require to be so severely 

 pruned as the stronger kinds ; judicious stopping will mostly be 

 found sufficient for them. Watering should be carefully attended 

 to during their season of growth ; they require a good deal at 

 that time. 



