158 EXTRACTS, 



of my Auricula fancy, eighteen years ago; and I have cultivaUrf them with 

 tolerable success ever since, though iu a situation by no means suited to them, 

 being too much inclosed and confined in the midst of coal smoke, and in the 

 want of a free and brisker circulation of pure air. 



ISAAC EMMERTON AND HIS COMPOST, &c. 



The ingredients which he recommended, for the most part, are of a nature 

 too filthy and oflensive for general adoption, as well as too tedious iu prepa- 

 ration, and very jircjudicial, if used prematurely; but nothing could ever 

 shake his belief in their excclleucc, power, and efficacy. Emmerton used to 

 say, " My father used them, and I used them after him, aud made improve 

 ments upon them ; and nobody grew Auriculas better;" and it is but justice 

 to add, that the Auriculas which the florists about Barnet, Totteridge, and 

 Finchley exhibited at that time, Kenney and Ejmmerton in particular, have 

 not bceu surpassed, if equalled, by those of any florist of the present day. 

 They were remarkable for their bold trusses, broad ex|mnded pips of brilliant 

 colours, strong stems, and large fleshy foliage ; indisputable proofs of good 

 culture. 



The consistency of the mould ought to be, in some degree, regulated accord- 

 ing to the nature of the situation in which they are grown. If the place is 

 low and damp, the compost should be light, free, and open, and not too re- 

 tentive of moisture ; it should likewise not be compressed too closely round 

 the plants in the pots, that, after rain or watering, it may dry again in a 

 reasonable time. The only part of the year iu which they can receive and 

 discharge any great supply of either, with advantage, is the latter part of 

 February and March, when they are in a quick growing state; and in April, 

 when in flower. If the roots are kept too wet, and damp, long together, at 

 other times, the foliage soon shews it, which changes to a pale sickly green : 

 but, iu elevated situations, where the air is brisk, and the moisture soon dries 

 up, and where the plants require to be watered more frequently, the compost 

 maybe of a closer body, embracing a larger portion of loam in its composi- 

 tion ; and the plants themselves may be more firmly potted, according to the 

 instructions given by Emmerton, as suited to the high ground of Finchley 

 and Burnet, or other open and exposed situations. Auriculas have been often 

 Kuft'ered to remain on the ground, iu those places, exposed to the weather, 

 from May till Michaelmas, without sustaining injury; the only precaution 

 taken, was keeping the worms out of the pots, by setting them on tiles, slates, 

 or coal ashes ; but this 1 know, that if mine were left so exposed, situated as 

 1 am, and the Summer should turn out wet, 1 might expect to find half of 

 them rotten by that time; so widely dill'erent is the mode of treatment that 

 ought to be observed in the two situations referred to. 



Though Emmerton certainly grew his Auriculas well at Barnet, and though 

 he used full one-fourth of strong yellow loam with his hot manures of sugar- 

 scum, night soil, blood, &,c.; yet, notwithstanding his vain boasting, tliey 

 were never long-lived with him; he was sending for fresh plants from the 

 country almost every year, more or less, to keep up his stock ; he never sold 

 any at that time; he might, perhaps, exchange or giv« one away occasionally; 

 but he grew them entirely to gratify his own fancy. When he was obliged to 

 leave his nursery at Barnet, in consequence of his having libelled the parson 

 of his parish, a magistrate withal, by hanging him in effigy ou a tree in his 

 garden, near the public road ; and for which offence be was indicted, and 

 suffered a year's imprisonment iu the King's Bench. He, after this, removed 

 to Paddington, and occupied a small nursery and flower-garden near me; 

 where he continued for a nhile to grow Auriculas, along with other plants, 

 for sale ; but he was far from being successful with them ; he complained, by 

 way of wxcuse, that he had not got his compost in right order, and that the 

 London air did not seem to suit them; he at last gave it up, as he wiis neither 

 likely to gain either credit or advantage by the pursuit ; and sent a few of his 

 best flowers to be taken care of by Mr. Moore, of Finchley. 



Emmerton, after he had published his treatise, was looked on as a Pro- 

 fessor, qualified to give instructions in the art and mystery of Auricula grow- 

 ing j and was invited, by some of the new begiuucr.s, to superiutcud, otca- 



