FLORISTS' FLOWERS : AURICULAS, 87 



well with the bloom, and the foliage should be healthy 

 and abundant. 



New sorts are obtained from seed. Inoculate as iu 

 the geranium, and when the seed is ripe, gathered, and 

 dried on paper, sow it in September, or keep it in the 

 seed-vessel and sow it in the spring. Eaise the seedlings 

 in light earth, keep them weeded, and when they are 

 a nice size, plant them out in a box or border, eight 

 inches apart. They will flower in the spring, when 

 good ones should be potted singly. The usual mode of 

 propagation is by slips divided from the sides of the 

 root, which generally have roots of their own : they 

 should be taken when the bloom is gone off, and planted 

 singly in pots. 



The plants should be re-potted when the flower is 

 quite gone off, which will be by the end of June. Take 

 off the suckers that have roots, shake the earth from 

 the old roots, trim the roots a little, replant them, 

 draining the pots with crocks, and place them on a 

 layer of ashes, in a place having an eastern aspect, that 

 they may get the morning sun only. Water in fine 

 weather, and keep them free at all times from slugs, 

 worms, and the green fly. When the weather gets hot 

 remove them to a north border, and shelter them from 

 heavy rain, and by winter place them in a frame, six 

 inches only from the glass. They will require good venti- 

 lation, and in fine weather plenty of air, but very little 

 watering, and that given on fine sunny mornings. Stir 

 the earth in the pots often, and constantly clear away 

 slugs and wood-lice. By the end of February top 

 dress the pots with mould and manure, with a little sand 

 dried. In a month more the bloom will show ; then 

 keep them rather warmer, with protection of mats, &c., 

 at night, but still give air freely in very fine days, and 

 water plentifully, but without wetting the leaves. When 

 they are in flower they must be shaded from rain and 

 Bun, and the beautiful bloom on the leaves and on some 

 of the flowers must on no account be disturbed. 



Auriculas are subject to canker. The only thing to 

 do is to take up the plant directly a yellow unhealthy 



