PART V. 



THE PRUNING AND EENOYATION OF 

 POT PLANTS AND SHRUBS. 



The Epacris. 



These are very similar to the Heath, but more hardy, 

 by which I mean that as greenhouse plants they will 

 endure rougher usage than the greenhouse Heaths. 

 The Epacrises are a fast- growing class which soon form 

 large specimens from small plants. Generally they 

 may be grown with a miscellaneous collection of green- 

 house plants, and are of great use as cut flowers from 

 the autumn till ]ate in the spring. 



As soon as the flowering is over the plants should be 

 cut back moderately and stimulated into active growth, 

 and when two or three inches of new growth are made 

 nip out the top of each shoot ; this will induce several 

 laterals to push out from each leader so stopped. These 

 laterals may be stopped as soon as they are two inches 

 long. The nipping out of the points of these young 

 shoots may be repeated three or four times, but not 

 carried too far, or else no flowers will be produced. 

 Judging from the time the variety comes into flower, a 

 certain period must be allowed for it to make six or 

 twelve inches of growth from the last stopping, and to 

 mature that growth ; for instance, if it is an autumn- 

 flowering sort, the nipping out of the points of 

 last-made laterals must be discontinued in June 

 or July at the latest, and the growth stimulated by 

 means of a moderate heat and some liquid manure, 



