208 FLORA HISTORICA. 



sent, the Dutch bloemists were supplied from this 

 country ; but they afterwards obtained this part of 

 the floral trade, and frequently before the late war 

 returned to this kingdom the offspring of our own 

 flowers. 



It is observed in a late French publication on 

 flowers, that the Auricula is still the favourite flower 

 of the English ; and the anonymous author tells us 

 that it is made the terrible symbol of ambush. " I 

 shall add,' 1 says the writer, " without being sus- 

 pected of malignity, that the Bears Ear is the 

 favourite flower of the English. " AVe may fairly 

 surmise that the author alluded to has more malig- 

 nity towards the English than knowledge of their 

 country. 



The best season for propagating the approved 

 sorts of the Auricula is about the end of July, or 

 beginning of August, when the roots may be divided, 

 or rooted slips taken off, and planted in pots filled 

 with a good compost, which should be composed of 

 a fresh loamy soil, and perfectly decomposed cow- 

 dung, equal parts of each, adding to the mixture 

 one-tenth of sea or river sand. Good leaf mould 

 may be used instead of cow-dung, but the whole 

 should be well mixed, and exposed to the frost the 

 winter before it is used ; but, as Hogg observes, 

 the cultivators of these flowers are not more nume- 

 rous than their compost is various, and quackery, 



