xl PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Africa, and the latter of Australasia, where very few 
Ericacece are to be found. Hr. Jennings next described the 
situations in which the Epacris is usually found growing, and 
deduced what kind of soil and treatment would naturally 
he the most suitable in cultivation, the main points of which 
were:— Soil , free and fibrous. Light , plenty without scorching. 
Air, free circulation without draught. Pruning , vigorous. 
Water , in moderation. The Epacris has become so thoroughly 
crossed and intercrossed in cultivation, that it is now almost 
impossible to arrange the garden forms into clearly defined species, 
and, worse than' all, botanical names had been given to these 
hybrids so that the utmost confusion existed, and the task of arrang¬ 
ing the genus into anything like order seemed almost impossible. 
Professor Bentham in his “Flora Australiensis ” describes twenty- 
two species of Epacris as indigenous to Australia, and a few more 
are found in New Zealand ; but only two or three species are common 
to both those countries. The chief points of distinction between 
the species are the comparative lengths of the calyx and the corolla- 
tube, and the lobes of the corolla. The four species distinguished 
by the large size of their flowers are :— E. longiflora, E. reclinata , 
E. impressa, and E. sparsa , of which, however, only the first and 
third are in cultivation. Under E. longiflora are arranged many of 
the garden varieties— E. Lowii, E. multiflora , E. Devoniensis, 
E. carminata , as well as E. grandiflora and E. miniata. Under 
E. impressa are grouped:— E. variabilis, E. campanulata, E. 
ruscifolia, E. nivalis , E. cerceflora , the whole of which 
have been described in distinct species. "With reference 
to the collection at Chiswick, Mr. Jennings said it was 
was probably the largest and most interesting that had ever been 
brought together, and he hoped to be able to prepare a more 
detailed statement of the different varieties for publication, and in 
order to illustrate the value of the reports which from time to time 
are issued by the Chiswick Board as the result of their protracted 
labours, he mentioned that one firm is sending out an Epacris under 
the name of Devoniensis ; another sends out the same plant calling 
it Carminata , and a third calls it Lucifer , all three being identical, 
whilst the Devoniensis of different firms vary most considerably. 
Synonyms might be detected almost throughout the collection. 
Nothing could be gained by thus multiplying names which only 
proved vexatious ; and it was greatly to the credit of the London 
nurserymen that they so cordially assisted the Chiswick Committee 
