THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 85 



remedy is to remove the whole of the decayed part with a sharp knife, 

 and rub a little powdered charcoal on the wound, and let it get dry 

 before replacing the soil about it. The rot at the tap root is shown 

 by the centre of the plant appearing to be all right and the outside 

 foliage drooping, as if suffering for the want of water. The only 

 remedy for this, is to shake the plants entirely out of the soil, and 

 cut oft' the diseased end, and re-pot again. If the rot has extended 

 itself above the fibrous roots, a little silver sand placed round the 

 root will induce others to start. 



Auriculas must be very carefully watered at all seasons, but more 

 particularly during the winter. Soft water should be used at all 

 times, for though stimulating manure water is frequently recom- 

 mended, I am satisfied the plants are much better without it. 



Green-fly is rather partial to these plants, but it can be easily 

 kept under with a little tobacco water, or a slight fumigation. It is 

 also necessary to remove all decayed foliage without delay, as the rot 

 will sometimes extend itself to the main stem and destroy the plant. 

 I grow the whole of my collection in frames, with a ventilator both 

 back and front, just under the plate upon which the light rests. 

 This enables me to give sufficient air at all times, without the risk of 

 wetting the foliage to excess. 



I should have liked to give a descriptive list of a few of the best, but 

 as I am afraid of taking up too much space, I will merely give the names. 



White edged. — Lightbody's Countess of Dunmore, Lee's Bright 

 Venus, Wild's Bright Phosbus. 



Ghrey edged. — Turner's Ensign, Turner's Mr. Marnock, Reid's 

 Miss Giddings, Lightbody's Sir John Moore, Fletcher's Ne Plus 

 Ultra, Headly's Superb. 



Green edged. — Stretch's Alexander, Hudson's Apollo, Oliver's 

 Lovely Ann, Cheetam's Lancashire Hero. 



Selfs. — Spalding's Blackbird, Smith's Formosa, Lightbody's 

 Meteor Flag, Spalding's Metropolitan, Turner's Negro, Richmond's 

 North Star. 



Alpines. — Beatrice, Constellation, Field Marshal, Minnie, Trum- 

 peter, Venus. 



I have excluded all the new and expensive varieties, but I have 

 no hesitation in saying that a better twenty-four old sorts cannot 

 well be had than those enumerated above. 



Italian Mushrooms. — Mr. Story, in his account of the Piazza Navona, the 

 principal market of Rome, makes the following mention of some of the fungi used 

 in Italy for food : — " In the summer, as we pick our way along, we run constantly 

 against great baskets of rnusbrooms. There are the grey porcini, the foliated 

 alberelti, and the orange-bued ovale; some of the latter of enormous size, big 

 enough to shelter a thousand fairies under their smooth and painted domes. In 

 each of them is a cleft stick, bearing a card from the inspector of the market, 

 granting permission to sell them ; for mushrooms have proved fatal to so many 

 Cardinals, to say nothing of Popes and other people, that they are naturally looked 

 on with suspicion, and must all be officially examined to prevent accidents. The 

 Italians are braver than we are in the matter of eating ; and many a fungus which we 

 christen with the foul name of toadstool, and ignominiously exile from our tables, is 

 here baptized with the Christian appellation of mushroom, and is eagerly sought after 

 as one of the cheapest and most delicious of vegetables." — Story's " Eoba di Roma." 



