October 22, 1874. ] 



JOUBNAIi OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



355 



AURICULA GROWEBS IN THE NORTH. 



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T i.s a pleasing sign of the times that the 

 taste for the fine old florists' flowers is 

 reviving, and that these plants are being 

 looked after much more than they used to 

 be a few years ago. Auriculas are perhaps 

 the most difficult to manage of aU the 

 flowers that were the favourites of our fore- 

 fathers, and which, through their enthu- 

 siasm, have been brought to such a high 

 standard of perfection. Young cultivators 

 in this fast age wiU probably not have the large amount 

 of patience requisite to raise first-class seedling Auriculas, 

 and the old seedling-raisers are rapidly disappearing 

 from amongst us. Mr. Robert Trail, of Aberledy, died 

 some years ago, more recently Mr. G. Lightbody ; and 

 another grower, who has raised some good flowers — Mr. 

 Kay — is also amongst the names of departed worthies. 

 Mr. Peter Campbell, of Falkirk, has some seedlings which 

 have not yet flowered, and others which he thinks good, 

 but he will probably not sow any more seed. 



At present Mr. Meiklejohn, Raploch, Stirling, has not 

 only the largest, but most healthy collection in Scotland ; 

 he has about 1600 plants in all the best varieties, and the 

 splendid condition in which he has his plants shows the 

 care and skill bestowed upon them. They are grown in 

 span-roofed and lean-to frames. The glass hghts are 

 placed at an angle of 45°. The span-roofed structures are 

 9 feet wide, and contain twenty rows of plants, which 

 stand on a stage fixed at such a distance from the glass as 

 -will allow the trusses of flowers to be thrown up without 

 coming in contact with it. One serious fault in the culti- 

 vation of the Auricula is that of keeping the glass lights too 

 close ; such treatment causes the plants to become weakly 

 and susceptible to the attacks of green fly. Mr. Meikle- 

 john's frames are raised above the ground, so that the air 

 plays freely both under and over the plants. If green fly 

 should attack them, wliich is seldom the case, he destroys 

 it with tobacco powder. As to the potting material, the 

 nostrums of the old florists are utterly eschewed. We 

 were pretty well agreed on this point, as well as with 

 regard to the size of the pots. Pots from 4 to 6 inches in 

 diameter are sufficiently large for all purposes, using the 

 largest size in exceptional cases only. Loam and rotted 

 cow manure are all that Mr. Meiklejohn uses in the way 

 of compost ; employing the manure in larger or smaller 

 quantities according to the variety. 



In such a large collection as that grown by Mr. Meikle- 

 john it is very interesting to note the special character- 

 istics of the different varieties. Some of them grow 

 freely and are always healthy in appearance, others 

 are " dorty," seldom or never to be seen in good health. 

 For instance, of that fine variety Marie (Chapman), 

 which is grown here in quantity, I noticed only one 

 plant that had not a sickly appearance, the pale green 

 leaves being in each instance streaked and shghtly 

 blotched with yeUow. Sophia, by the same raiser, is 

 equally peculiar. 



No. 708.- Vou XXVII., New 3ZEIE8. 



The following varieties are amongst the best of those 

 grown at Rajiloch : — 



Green-edged. — Alexander (Stretch) has been grown here 

 for about six years, and no stock has as yet been obtained. 

 A nursei-yman would, of course, cut the plants over, and 

 thus obtain numerous breaks ; but without such assistance 

 the result has been nil. Champion (Page) is a very slow 

 grower, and except the large stock of it in the hands of 

 the Rev. F. D. Homer, there are few other plants of it 

 in Britain. Duke of Cambridge is generally a green edge 

 with Mr. Meiklejohn, though Mr. Turner classes it in the 

 greys. As a green it is a very pleasing flower. Prince of 

 Wales (Aston) is good and pure. Colonel Taylor (Leigh) 

 is fine, but the growers here do not speak in its favour. 

 The flowers are small, and the petals pointed. Admiral 

 Napier and Lord Palmerston were raised by Mr. Camp- 

 bell from the same batch of seedlings ; the first-named is 

 a very free-growing good variety. 



In grcy-cclgcs one of the very best is that raised in this 

 neighbourhood by Mr. Kay, and named in honour of Mr. 

 Meiklejohn. The flower which I saw of it in the summer 

 was better than my own pips of George Lightbody. Col. 

 Champneys (Turner), very fine and very free in growth; 

 Conqueror of Europe (Waterhouse), Complete (Sykes), 

 Lancashire Hero (Cheetham), Mary Ann (Fletcher), Ma- 

 tilda (Dickson), Marie (Chapman), Ne Plus Ultra (Fletcher), 

 Richard Headly (Lightbody), Kobert Trail (Lightbody), 

 Splendour (Headly), Unique (Dickson), and Unique (Mc- 

 Lean). A new one of Mr. Campbell's named Confidence 

 is much thought of by Mr. Meiklejohn. 



White-edged. — Catherina (Summerscales), Earl Grosve- 

 nor (Lee), Fair Maid (Lightbody), .John Waterson (Cun- 

 ningham) is classed by the Scotch growers amongst the 

 greys, whereas Mr. C. Turner in his list has it in the 

 white-edged class; NePlus Ultra (Smith) ; Incomparable 

 (McDonald) ; Glory (Taylor) ; Smiling Beauty (Heap) is 

 said to be the best white edge ; Sophie Dumaresque is 

 new and very fine, with a very large truss. It is said to 

 be one of Mr. Chapman's flowers, though it was sent out 

 by Mr. Lightbody. White Rival (TraU) is a good flower. 



A few of the very best selfs are Blackbird (Spalding), 

 Ehza (Sims), Formosa (Smith), Lord Clyde (Lightbody), 

 Master Hole (Turner), Petronella (Headly), Metropolitan 

 (Spalding). This is said to be a scarce flower now ; it is 

 certainly very fine. Mrs. Sturrock ( Martin), Vulcan (Sims), 

 Topsy (Kay), Pizarro (Campbell). The two new ones 

 sent out this year by Mr. Turner are very fine — viz., 

 C. J. Perry and Cantab. 



I also visited Mr. Campbell at Falkirk. He has dis- 

 posed of the greater portion of his stock, but still retains 

 a few of the best varieties, and he has yet a goodly num- 

 ber of seedlings to prove. He has quite recently raised 

 and let out two very fine crimson selfs — viz., Duke of 

 Argyll and Lord Lome, and he is yet working in the 

 same direction. The two named have mealy foliage, and 

 he is desirous of raising crimson selfs with green foliage. 

 Lord Lome was raised from Mrs. Sturrock, the pollen 

 parent being Berry's Lord Lee ; and he has now crossed 

 Lord Lome with a green-edged seedling having plain 



No. lEOO.— Vol. LII., Old Sbeibs. 



