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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  24,  1901. 
Epacris  Culture. 
At  a  time  when  the  rich  feast  of  the  Queen  of  Autumn  flowers  has 
gone,  considerable  forethought  is  necessary  to  keep  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  other  plants  advancing  into  flower  in  order  to  prevent  a 
galaxy  of  floral  splendour  being  followed  by  a  dearth  of  flowers.  If 
the  convenience  at  command  is  commensurate  with  the  requirements  of 
the  establishment,  with  good  management  the  end  in  view  can  invariably 
be  attained,  but  unfortunately  these  two  vital  matters — supply  and 
demand — are  often  altogether  disproportionate  to  each  other.  It 
seems  to  me  that  the  great  craze  for  novelties  in  plant  life  is  gradually 
pushing  out  of  our  gardens  many  sterling  old  plants  which  ought  to 
be  largely  grown,  especially  in  those  instances  where  the  unfavourable 
circumstances  above  indicated  are  the  order  of  the  day.  For  flowering 
at  Christmas  and  during  succeeding  months,  what  class  of  plants 
can  be  more  useful  and  beautiful  than  the  various  species  and  varietie8 
of  Epacris  ?  For  use  as  pot  plants  and  for  supplying  cut  flowers, 
we  must  describe  them  as  gems  indeed. 
At  no  season  of  the  year  does  the  floral  decorator  find  a  plethora  of 
flowers  borne  on  long  slender  stems  adapted  for  giving  lightness  to 
arrangements  in  which  bolder  flowers  are  freely  used,  and  I  know  of  but 
few  flowers  which  serve  this  purpose  better  than  do  some  of  the  strong, 
growing  varieties  of  Epacris.  I  have  still  a  vivid  recollection  of  a 
delightful  and  truly  artistic  example  of  dinner-table  decoration  carried 
out  some  years  ago,  in  which  long  spikes  of  these  old  favourites  were 
associated  with  Primulas  and  a  few  single  Camellias,  those  having  rose 
shades  of  colour  being  exclusively  used.  For  lightness  and  finish  in 
arrangement  and  skilful  blending  of  the  various  shades  of  rose  I  have 
seen  nothing  to  surpass  it  since.  It  is  a  pity  that  plants  with  such 
good  qualities  should  be  neglected,  and  I  trust  this  note  will  have  the 
effect  of  again  installing  them  in  many  a  garden  from  which  they  have 
vanished. 
Cool  houses  lately  ocoupied  by  Chrysanthemums  are  excellent 
positions  for  flowering  the  plants,  and 
from  the  time  they  require  protection 
from  frost  till  such  houses  are  cleared 
of  Chrysanthemums  they  succeed 
admirably  in  cold  pits  so  long  as  the 
precaution  of  giving  abundance  of  air 
on  all  favourable  occasions  is  taken. 
Should  it  be  necessary  at  any  time  to 
hasten  them  into  flower,  a  little  heat 
may  be  kept  in  the  hot-water  pipes 
constantly,  and  a  fresh,  brisk  atmo¬ 
sphere  maintained  by  a  regular  cir¬ 
culation  of  air  except  during  the 
prevalence  of  sharp  frosts.  With  this 
treatment  it  will  be  necessary  to  damp 
the  floors  and  stages  of  the  house 
occasionally,  but  only  when  the  atmo¬ 
sphere  feels  uncomfortably  dry.  This 
kind  of  gentle  forcing  into  flower 
Epacris  will  bear  with  impunity,  but 
they  should  not  be  subjected  to  a  close 
moist  atmosphere  at  this  stage,  or  the 
flowers  will  beoome  pale  in  colour  and 
wanting  in  lasting  qualities. 
When  good  sized  specimens  are  in 
flower  they  are  exceedingly  effective  if 
dotted  about  at  intervals  among  the 
other  occupants  of  the  conservatory, 
and  plants  in  5  and  6-inch  pots  will  be 
found  invaluable  for  house  decorations. 
After  flowering  the  erect  growing 
varieties  should  have  the  strong  shoots 
pruned  hard  l?ack,  and  the  plants 
arranged  in  a  position  where  they  can 
have  a  little  extra  heat  and  moisture. 
I  have  found  the  front  stage  in  a 
vinery,  started  a  'few  weeks  previously,  a  capital  place  for  them. 
Gentle  syringing  ought  to  be  given  during  bright  weather,  and  the 
watering  be  carefullyjperformed,  as  a  sodden  state  of  the  soil  is  fatal 
to  them  at  this^stage  when  growth  has  scarcely  begun.  Any  that 
require  potting  ought  to  be  done  when  the  young  shoots  are  about  half 
Epacris  miniata  splendens. 
an  inch  in  length,  ample  drainage,  as  a  matter  of  course,  beiug  given, 
and  pots  two  sizes  larger  generally  suffice. 
A  compost  consisting  of  fibrous  peat  with  a  little  broken  oharcoal 
and  a  sixth  of  sharp  sand  is  suitable.  This  should  be  rammed  very 
firmly,  taking  especial  care  that  only  a  thin  layer  is 
added  between  each  ramming.  Just  enough  soil 
ought  to  be  placed  over  the  old  ball  to  cover  the 
surface,  and  if  this  is  left  level  and  firm,  in  my 
opinion  it  answers  better  than  having  the  centre 
of  the  ball  either  slightly  higher  or  lower  than  the 
surrounding  soil.  After  potting  no  watering  at  the 
roots  will  be  necessary  for  a  few  days,  but  the 
syringings  will  be  frequently  necessary  should  the 
weather  prove  bright,  and  shading  for  a  few  hours 
daily  will  be  beneficial.  When  it  is  found  that  water 
is  required  it  ought  to  be  done  through  a  rose,  and 
be  done  thoroughly,  so  as  to  moisten  every  par¬ 
ticle  of  the  ball. 
With  this  treatment  the  young  shoots  will  make 
good  progress,  and  will  need  a  greater  amount  of 
air  to  keep  them  sturdy.  With  this  object  in  view, 
by  the  end  of  April  they  may  with  advantage  be 
removed  to  a  structure  where  an  ordinary  green¬ 
house  treatment  is  given.  At  the  end  of  June  place 
them  in  the  open  air ;  the  back  of  a  north  wall  is 
a  capital  position.  Plunge  the  pots  two-thirds  of 
their  depth  in  ashes  or  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse,  pay 
strict  attention  to  watering,  and  occasionally  give 
slight  applications  of  Clay’s  fertiliser.  Strong 
shoots  will  thus  be  produced,  and  if  the  plants  are 
arranged  thinly  the  wood  will  become  thoroughly 
ripened  without  exposure  to  more  sunny  positions, 
as  some  advocate.  By  the  middle  <  f  September 
all  ought  to  be  removed  to  cool  houses  or  pits, 
their  subsequent  treatment  having  been  already 
detailed.  The  following  are  some  of  the  best 
varieties : — densiflora,  Eclipse,  exoniensis,  Exquisite,  hyacinthiflora, 
h.  alba,  h.  candidissima,  elegaus,  miniata  splendens,  rubra  superba, 
Vesuvius,  and  Viscountess  Hill. — Erica. 
Epacris  elegans. 
Figs  under  Glass. 
Trees  in  pots,  started  in  November  or  at  the  beginning  of  December 
to  afford  ripe  fruit  in  April,  are  forming  fresh  roots  abundantly, 
therefore  the  bottom  heat  must  be  kept  steady  at  7CP  to  75  ,  bringing 
the  fermenting  material  to  the  rim  of  the  pots.  This  will  encourage 
surface  roots,  and  instead  of  letting  these  extend  over  the  rims  into  the 
fermenting  material  place  turves  round  the  tops  of  the  pots  and 
extending  over  or  down  the  sides,  which  will  keep  the  roots  near  home, 
and  induce  a  sturdy  growth,  while  the  roots  can  be  fed  in  the  turf.  To 
encourage  active  feeders  from  the  collar  fill  the  hollows  formed  by  the 
turves  with  sweet  lumpy  manure  or  rough  pieces  of  turf,  and  sprinkle 
these  occasionally  with  a  little  approved  chemical  fertiliser. 
Keep  the  atmosphere  healthfully  moist  by  sj  ringing  twice  a  day 
and  damping  as  required  in  dry  weather,  taking  advantage  of  every 
gleam  of  sunshine  for  raising  the  heat  to  80',  but  admit  a  little  air  at 
70°,  increasing  it  with  the  temperature,  closing  at  75°,  and  so  as  to  80° 
or  more.  In  dull  weather  the  temperature  should  be  kept  at  60°  by 
night  and  65°  by  day,  but  5°  more  in  both  cases  when  the  weather  is 
mild,  while  in  cold  a  few  degrees  less  will  be  better  than  more.  Rub 
off  superfluous  growths,  and  stop  the  shoots  at  about  the  fourth  or 
fifth  good  leaf,  but  trees  making  sturdy  growths  will  not  need  stopping, 
and  may  produce  the  finest  Figs. 
Planted-out  trees  started  at  the  new  year,  and  having  the  roots 
restricted  to  narrow  borders,  will  require  watering,  and,  if  very  dry, 
repeatedly,  to  bring  the  soil  in  a  moist  condition,  especially  as  the  trees 
are  starting  into  growth,  and  need  water  alike  for  the  supply  of 
nutriment  and  the  diffusion  of  stored  matter.  The  night  temperature 
may  be  raised  to  55°,  and  60°  to  65°  from  fire  heat  in  the  daytime,  with 
an  advance  from  sun  heat  to  70°  or  75°,  but  with  moderate  ventilation. 
Syringe  the  trees  in  the  morning  and  afternoon  of  bright  days,  the 
latter  always  sufficiently  early  to  allow  the  trees  to  become  fairly  dry 
before  night,  and  in  dull  weather  omit  the  afternoon  syringing. 
Weakly  trees  may  have  a  good  supply  of  liquid  manure  at  a  temperature 
corresponding  to  the  mean  of  the  house,  but  it  must  neither  be  too 
strong  nor  excessive  in  quantity,  while  it  will  only  make  matters  worse 
where  the  growth  is  strong.  Judicious  manurial  applications  induce 
active  fibrous  roots  near  the  surface  for  appropriating  the  food 
supplied. — Grower. 
