Finger-Posts to Success 105 



who shall say that the mass of intervening material, be 

 it rock or soil, has not "created" the very "atmo- 

 sphere" needed by some particular plant. The argu- 

 ment is not figurative; instances are in the mind's eye 

 as I write. 



Ourisia coccinea supplies an example, and failures are 

 frequent with it. In one instance its owner took me 

 into the wood, where I found a big tuft huddled in a 

 hole. " Get it out and arrange its rhizomes on the 

 surface ; wedge stones between them, and give moister 

 soil," was my' prompt recommendation, for which the 

 owner never failed to thank me so long as he Uved, 

 since it turned failure into complete success. The 

 Ourisia flowers from' the tips of the extending 

 rhizomes, and with these virtually on the surface and 

 its roots in cool, moist, rich loam all is usually well. 

 Given these, it does not object to sun-heat, and if 

 periodically divided and firmly replanted in August 

 or September vigour and a good flowering will be 

 maintained. Dense shade and cold, warmth-excluding 

 conditions are not congenial to this fine Chilean sub- 

 ject, and are to be avoided. 



In the same wood as the Ourisia and but a few yards 

 away I saw the finest mass of Epigasa repens I ever 

 beheld in cultivation. It was of waggon-wheel dimen- 

 sions and twice the height and vigour of anything I 

 had met before. The woodland is its home ; the light 

 soil in that referred to suited it exactly. Its owner 

 took no credit to himself for its success ; he had planted 

 it there unwittingly, having been told it preferred 

 shade. The Shortias may share like conditions, albeit 

 they are not averse to sun if summer moisture is 

 present. Here, however, soil is of importance, since 

 both Epigasa and Shortia dislike lime, and are happiest 

 in sandy loam, leaf soil, and peat. 



Ramondias and Haberleas in perfect health afford a 

 further instance of the influence an ideal " atmosphere" 

 creates. Recommended for shady positions in nearly 

 Vertical rock crevice or wall, they not infrequently 



