ENDIVE. 



159 



EPACRIS. 



mas. Sown in June or July, they flower 

 the following June, and continue blooming 

 through the summer and autumn months. 



Endive. 



This vegetable is grown chiefly for winter 

 use and for salads in early spring. 



Preparation of the Soil. Trench the 

 ground to a depth of two feet, mixing a 

 very liberal dressing of rich and thoroughly 

 decayed manure. For crops intended to 

 stand the winter, a light, dry, and rather 

 poor soil is best, and they should be planted 

 in a sheltered situation. 



Time and Manner of Sowing. Make 

 the first sowing about the middle of May on 

 a bed of well -pulverised rich soil, scattering 



GREEN CURLED ENDIVE. 



the seed thinly, and covering it lightly, or 

 sow in drills, if it is not intended to trans- 

 plant them. If sown in drills, let the rows 

 be from 12 to 15 inches apart, and thin out 

 the plants to the same distance apart in the 

 beds. If sown broadcast, the plants must 

 be thinned out to the distance of 4 or 5 

 inches apart, and when large enough trans- 

 planted into ground that has been richly 

 manured. The plants should be about 3 

 inches high before they are transplanted. 

 They should be set the same distance apart 

 as prescribed for thinning out plants sown 

 in drills. Plenty of water should be given 

 when the weather is dry, and liquid manure 

 occasionally. For the main crop sow in 

 the middle of June, and again about the 

 middle of July. Plants to stand the winter 

 should be sown early in August. 



Planting and After-management. When 

 the plants are about 4 inches high, 

 transplant, lifting them carefully with as 

 much soil as can be kept about their roots. 

 Place them in about 3 inches deep and 12 

 to 14 inches apart, and leave about the 

 same distance between the plants. Give a 

 liberal supply of water immediately after 

 planting, and as often as may be requisite 

 to keep the soil moist. Beyond watering 

 and keeping the surface of the soil open and 

 free from weeds, the plants will require no 

 further attention till they are nearly full- 

 grown, when means should be used to 

 blanch them. In the case of the earlier 

 crops this may be done by tying them up 

 when dry, after the same fashion as lettuce, 

 and drawing the soil about them so as to 

 fill the drills in which they are planted, 

 then ridging up the soil two or three inches 

 round each plant. But as late crops in- 

 tended for winfer use are liable to be injured 

 by frost, these should be blanched by 

 covering the plants with inverted pots. 

 When severe weather is feared, a portion 

 of the plants sown in July may be lifted 

 with balls and planted closely together in 

 pits or frames, where they can be protected 

 from frost and wet, yet be fully exposed to 

 the air when the weather permits. Tying 

 and covering should be done at intervals, 

 so as to have a continuous supply well 

 blanched as they may be required for use. 

 The August sowing should be planted out 

 at the bottom of a south wall, or in other 

 sheltered situation. In many localities 

 these plants require the protection of glass 

 to winter them safely. 



The best varieties are the Green Curled, 

 Batavian Green, Batavian White, White 

 curled, and New Moss curled. 



Ep'acris (nat. ord. Epacrida'cea). 



These are heath-like shrubs, natives of 

 New Holland. They all require a fine 

 gritty peat soil, and flourish best in double 



