THE EPACRIS. 
169 
THE EPACRIS. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
The beauty of this genus, and its value as an early-spring 
flowering group of greenhouse plants, have led to the repeated 
notice of it in horticultural works of all kinds ; and directions for 
its culture are multiplied to an almost indefinite extent. Notwith¬ 
standing this, the frequent addition of new varieties possessing 
peculiarities of their own, or the discoveries of modern culturists, 
causes another and another notice necessary in quick succession: 
but, like its congener the heath, there is ever some new beauty 
to admire, or an interesting account of improvement, either in 
character or management, to be recorded; they are everybody’s 
plants, who grow plants at all, and consequently everybody feels 
interested in them; besides, there is the constantly recurring- 
stream of young gardeners who have yet to learn the particulars 
of the pursuit they have chosen, either as a profession or amuse¬ 
ment. All these considerations may well excuse from a charge 
of plagiarism, and therefore we venture again upon the routine 
necessary to grow the genus to perfection. 
Good peat is the first essential; and how to know it is often a 
difficulty with the beginner. Peat differs as much in quality as 
perhaps any earth we employ : that most suitable to the epacris 
is of medium character, partaking rather of a close adhesive nature, 
than of a light sandy kind, not that sand canHbe dispensed with, 
but as it is generally found that sandy peats are sterile in them¬ 
selves, it is better to procure the naturally rich unctuous kind, 
and afterwards lighten it artificially by adding sand ; abundance 
of decayed vegetable matter is therefore the distinguishing feature 
of the peat required, and this should be cut from four to eight 
inches thick, according to its quality, and may be laid in a heap 
to be used as occasion requires. 
The best time to buy epacrises, is when they are in bloom; an 
exact idea is then obtained of their colours and habit of blooming : 
in addition to which we have them at hand to operate on at the 
exact period they should be set growing. The most promising 
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