Plate 444. 

 ALPINE AURICULAS. 



We have already noticed in former volumes the great ad- 

 vance that has been made in the character of Alj^ine Auriculas 

 under the care of Mr. Charles Turner, and the present year has 

 witnessed a stiU further progress in the same direction. In the 

 collections exhibited by him at the Crystal Palace and at other 

 Metropolitan Shows, we have this year seen some remai-kably 

 fine flowers ; excellence in form and brilliancy of colour being 

 combined in them, while their greater easiness of culture will 

 tend to make them very general favourites. 



The general bloom of Auriculas in the southern part of 

 England was very indifferent, the excessive heat of last summer 

 compelled so much watering that the soil was exhausted, and 

 consequently the bloom was very poor ; very many of our own 

 plants never bloomed at all, and the same complaint was made 

 by Mr. Charles Turner and other growers ; consequently but 

 few really good flowers were exhibited at the Spring Shows 

 this season, but the Alpines were shown in good condition. 

 Such flowers as Gaiety, Goliath, Superb, and those figured in our 

 plate have never been before exhibited, and their appearance 

 amongst the edged varieties imparts great life and brightness, 

 although some growers will not allow them on their stages for 

 fear of spoiling the seed. 



Of the varieties figured in our plate Monarch (fig. 1) is a 

 genuine Alpine, with yellow paste and deep purplish edge, 

 somewhat in the style of that old flower Miller s Conspicua ; 



