A DIALOGUE ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE AURICULA. 181 



L. Suppose I cannot procure this peat, can I substitute anything 

 for it ? 



Inf. If I were obliged to use a substitute, it would be well- 

 decayed sticks and leaf mould, and sea or drift sand, mixed with the 

 fine soil which moles lift up in a rich loamy pasture, with the 

 interior of decayed trees ; it matters not what the wood is, so that it 

 is quite decayed, or rendered a black or dark mould. If you will 

 refer to the second volume of the Cabinet, page 169, you will find a 

 good plain compost for immediate use, described by Snow-drop. 



L. You seem to use a large quantity of salt in your compost. 



Inf. It may seem so to those persons who, perhaps, may only be 

 acquainted with the knowledge of its pernicious qualities, and not its 

 virtues. I have proved its utility, and do not think my compost 

 perfect without it. In a raw state it will kill any plants, but it is 

 time which takes off its virulence and leaves the compost mellow and 

 free from worms ; even the wire-worm, when the salt is mixed up, 

 shows that he has had notice to quit. 



L. I will now thank you to show me how you drain your pots, 

 which I should fancy a material point to keep the plants in health. 



Inf. It really is so; the way I drain mine you may consider as 

 unnecessarily troublesome, but it is a way from which I never vary. 

 In the first place I take an oyster-shell, the hollow one — observe it 

 has nine holes in it. 



L. Are they not difficult to pierce? 



Inf. Nothing easier, they are done with a hammer and awl. On 

 the shell I place two inches of broken pots or fret, then a little dead 

 moss, and you are not such a novice as to require instruction how to 

 place your plant. Remember not to press the soil round the roots, but 

 merely give the pot a tap or two on the board after it is filled, and 

 you will find the soil sink about an inch or more and it is done. 

 The great advantage of this drainage is, should the plants be unavoid- 

 ably or carelessly left exposed to several days' rain in summer or 

 autumn, they are less liable to injury than when drained in a careless 

 way. If you will adhere to these directions you cannot fail to grow 

 Auriculas to your satisfaction. I have grown them so large that few 

 persons would give credit to it ; however I have the dried pips to 

 show you gummed on paper, and will fetch them for you to si e. 



L. A tremendous size, indeed ! What do you call this? 



