ERI 
EPI 
a stratum of two or three inches of the 
same material, the plants are then cut 
hack to within four or five joints of their 
last growths, and are placed in a gentle 
heat, where they soon “ break” vigor¬ 
ously ; these new growths are stopped 
by pinching off their tops two or three 
times in the course of the summer, 
taking care, however, to discontinue it 
after July, so that the last shoots may 
have time to ripen before the winter, and 
by giving proper attention to watering 
they will attain a length of a foot or 
more, and make nice little specimens to 
bloom in the following spring. After 
they have then done flowering, they are 
again repotted, and instead of being- 
stopped in their after growth, are at 
once cut back to very near the base of the 
preceding year’s shoots, and are then 
allowed to grow as far as they please, 
training them into any desirable form; 
thus, instead of a few flowers on several 
small stems, we have long spikes full of 
flowers, increasing the general beauty of 
the plants to an amazing extent; every 
year they are cut down in the same 
manner, and each season more numerous 
spikes are produced; we must observe, 
however, that after the first season the 
plants are not subject to a high tempera¬ 
ture, choosing in preference a shaded 
airy place for them to make their new 
wood through the summer, removing 
them about August to a sunny position, 
in order to ripen the recent shoots; * in 
other respects the ordinary attention is 
all that is required. 
EPIDENDRUM (Linn.) Nat. Or. 
Orchidacecs. This is an extensive and 
for the most part beautiful genus of 
epiphytes; all them may be grown on 
billets of wood, or, where it is preferred 
for the stronger growing species pots 
may be used : in the latter case it is in¬ 
dispensable that the soil be porous and 
well drained; it should consist of equal 
parts of fibrous peat, moss, and rotten 
wood, filling the pots for two thirds 
their depth with broken potsherds, and 
when the plants are placed in them the 
base of their pseudo-bulbs must be kept 
considerably above the rjm, so that water 
may not lodge near them. The same 
relative variations of temperature should 
be observed for these as mentioned for 
Dendrobium, keeping it at an average of 
ten degrees lower than recommended for 
that genus; and as the same principles 
govern the growth of each, the like 
changes of atmospheric influence are 
necessary in either case. The following 
are a few of the best: aurantiacum , bicor- 
nutum, Boothiamm, cochleatum major , 
crassifolium , Hanburii , Harrisonie, H. 
atropurpurea , macrochilum, m. roseum, nu¬ 
tans , adoratissimum. primilinum ,. Schom- 
burgkii, Skinnerii, Stamfordia?ium, steno- 
petalum and vitellinum. 
EPIPHYLLUM (Haworth.) Nat. 
Order Cadacece. These splendid plants 
are indispensable to every collection, 
and the numerous seminal offsprings 
which every season calls into existence 
yearly increases their interest. Their 
culture, wherever the convenience of a 
greenhouse or common frame is at com¬ 
mand, is of the easiest description; 
they delight in rich well-drained loamy 
soil, to have plenty of air, water, and 
sunlight while they are growing, and to 
be kept perfectly dry and dormant 
through the winter; if this particular, 
and the equally important one' of allow¬ 
ing them to receive the full influence of 
the sun in autumn, were observed, there 
would exist but little cause for the now 
frequent complaints of their non-bloom¬ 
ing. 
ERANTHEMUM (R. Brown.) Nat. 
Order Acanthacece. Beautiful winter¬ 
flowering stove plants, which delight to 
be grown on sandy peat and loam, and 
require the mere ordinary treatment of 
soft-wooded plants of the class. 
ERICA (Linn.) Nat. Or. Bricacece. 
It is quite unnecessary to enlarge on the 
beauty or importance of this splendid 
genus, as it is universally esteemed and 
cultivated. The essential points in their 
management are, first, a proper selection 
and preparation of the soil in which they 
are to be grown; second, to insure for 
them an abundant supply of pure fresh 
air whenever requisite, and thirdly, dis¬ 
criminating care in the application of 
water; the first may be described as 
peat, or heath soil of an open fibrous 
