339 



their budding for -flower, lest the sharp mornings blight them, and 

 prevent their blowing. When the flower-slems begin to advance 

 and the blossom buds grow turgid, they must be protected from 

 hasty rains, which would wash off their white meally farina, and 

 greatly deface the beauty of their flowers, keeping them as much 

 uncovered as possible, otherwise their stems will be drawn up too 

 weak to support their flowers, (which is often the case when their 

 pots are placed near walls) giving them gentle waterings to strengthen 

 them, but none of the water should be let fall into the centre of the 

 plant, or among the leaves. 



When the flowers begin to open, their pots should be removed 

 upon a stage (built with rows of shelves, one above another, and 

 covered on the lop, to preserve them from wet: this should be open 

 to the morning sun, but sheltered from the heat of the sun in the 

 middle of the day): in tins position they will appear to much 

 greater advantage than when they stand upon the ground; for, their 

 flowers being low, their beaut}' is hid; whereas, when they are 

 advanced upon shelves, they <vre fully seen. In this situation they 

 may remain until the beauty of their flowers is past, when they must 

 be set abroad to receive the rains, and have open free air, in order to 

 obtain seeds, which will fail if they are kept too long under shelter. 

 When the seed is ripe it should be gathered when it is perfectly dry, 

 and exposed to the sun in a window upon papers, to prevent its 

 growing mouldy, letting it remain in the pods till the season for 

 sowing. 



It is observed by the editor of Miller's Dictionary, that " those 

 who are very nice in raising Auriculas, direct the compost to be 

 made of one half rotten cow-dung two years old; one sixth fresh 

 sound earth of an open texture; one eighth earth of rotten leaves: 

 one twelfth coarse sea or river sand; one twenty- fourth soft decayed 

 willow wood; one twenty-fourth pcaly or moory earth; one twenty- 

 fourth ashes of burnt vegetables, to be spread upon the surface of 

 the other ingredients. This compost -is to be exposed to the sun 

 and air, turned over once or twice, and passed as often through a 

 coarse screen or sieve; then be laid in a regular heap from fifteeen 



