THE FLORAL WORLD A.ND GARDEN GUIDE, 173 



plant, even when fully grown, a goodly collection may be grown in a 

 frame measuring twelve feet in length by six feet in width. They 

 are, therefore, just the class of plauts for amateurs with small gar- 

 dens. There is no great outlay in providing structures, and no 

 expense whatever in providing fuel. They are, it is true, rather 

 difficult to cultivate ; but when the amateur, by attention and obser- 

 vation, has become acquainted with their peculiarities, he will not 

 experience much trouble with them. With a view to promote their 

 culture more extensively than is the case at present, and to assist 

 the amateur who has not met with so much success as he could wish 

 I have prepared a few notes bearing upon the most important in their 

 management. 



Auricula Feames. — The first step in auricula growing is to 

 provide a suitable frame, and I will at once proceed to speak of it. 

 Now if we turn to the majority of the books which contain informa- 

 tion on auricula culture, we shall find diagrams of most elaborate 

 structures with ingenious contrivances for air-giving, shading, and 

 facilitating the inspection of the plants. These structures cost a lot 

 of money, and, in my opinion, are not wanted. The frames in 

 which the plants I have exhibited at the London shows for some 

 years past are grown, do not difter very materially from that of an 

 ordinary pit, such as would be employed for bedding plauts, with 

 the difference that they are fitted with ventilators back and front. 

 They stand three feet six inches in height, the walls are of brick, to 

 a height of a little over two feet, and the remainder is of wood. The 

 wood-work consists really of a wall plate, and a plate upon which 

 the rafters carrying the lights rest, the two being joined together at 

 each corner, and at intervals by uprights of wood. By this arrange- 

 ment a space of nine inches or so is left, the entire length of the 

 frame, both back and front ; and to these openings we have shutters 

 fitted, which can be closed at pleasure. These openings are pro- 

 vided for the purpose of admitting air without exposing the plants 

 to the risk of being saturated with heavy rain, which, especially 

 during the autumn, winter, and spring, is very injurious to them. 

 Auriculas require abundant ventilation even in cold weather, for it is 

 not so much the cold as it is the wet that they require protection 

 from, and by these openings a free circulation of air can be main- 

 tained whenever ventilation is desirable. The amateur, commencing 

 with a wooden box, would simply have to cut out a strip nine inches 

 in width, and extending the whole length both at the back and the 

 front, and then fasten them to the frame with hinges, and provide a 

 button to hold them in their places when closed. The frames are 

 filled to nearly level with the lower part of the opening with coal- 

 ashes, the lower strata being formed with very rough material, so 

 that the superfluous moisture can soak away quickly. 



Peopagating II r Offsets. — The propagation of varieties is ac- 

 complished by separating the oftsets when the plants have their annual 

 repotting, and potting them separately in small pots. They require 

 to be slipped off carefully so as to avoid injury to the main stem of 

 the parent, for when a ragged wound is made there is a danger of 

 the damp lodging in it and causing the stem to decay. They are 



