522 THE PLEASURE, OR [SEPT. 



AURICULAS. 



The auricula plants still require due attention, but particularly 

 those shifted last month ; they nm&t yet be kept in the shade and 

 moderately watered , as often as the earth appears rather dry, to pro- 

 mote a free growth and a good supply of new roots before winter. 



If the shifting had been neglected last month it may yet be done,* 

 but the beginning of August is a more eligible period. 



Particular care must now be taken to keep the auricula seedlings,, 

 as well as the old plants, free from decayed leaves and weeds of 

 every kind, to keep the earth about them in a moderate state of 

 moisture, that the plants may grow freely and obtain strength before 

 winter. 



SOWING SEEDS OF BULBOUS-ROOTED FLOWERS. 



This will be a very proper time to sow the seeds of tulips, hya- 

 cinths, and of every other kind of bulbous rooted flowers that have 

 perfected seed in the preceding part of the season. These seeds 

 should be sown separately in boxes filled with good sound garden 

 mould, mixed with a small portion of sand or with hyacinth or tulip 

 compost; sow the seeds pretty thick and cover them about half an 

 inch deep. The depth of earth in each box should be at least six 

 inches, the bottoms of the boxes should be perforated with holes, 

 each about an inch in diameter, and covered with shells, in order 

 that any extra moisture may drain off thereby. The boxes are then 

 to be placed in a warm exposure, and will require no water, or any 

 other attention than the keeping of them perfectly free from weeds, 

 and slightly protecting them from frost till the spring following, 

 when the plants will appear. Early in May place the boxes in the 

 shade, but not under the dropping or shade of trees ; and in very 

 dry weather give the plants a small portion of water ; but this should 

 be administered sparingly, lest it should rot the young bulbs. In 

 June, when the leaves are decayed, sift half an inch of fresh earth 

 over that in the boxes, and on the approach of winter place them 

 again in a warm exposure where you can give them some slight pro- 

 tection from severe frost. Continue the same treatment, winter and 

 summer, till the month of June or July, in the third year ; the roots 

 may then be taken up, dried, and treated in the same manner as di- 

 rected for large bulbs or offsets on pages 407 and 408 ; a few of the 

 strongest roots will flower the fourth year, about one-half may be 

 expected to flower the fifth, but the sixth year every healthy root 

 will exhibit its bloom ; and the hopes and expectations of the culti- 

 vator will be realized or disappointed. He may, however, think him- 

 self fortunate if one-half of the plants that first appeared are in ex- 

 istence at this period, and if he can at last find one tulip or hyacinth 

 in five hundred deserving a name or a place in a good collection, he 

 may rest perfectly content. 



The tulips raised from seed will each consist of one plain color on 

 a white, dark, or yellow bottom ; the period of their breaking into 

 different stripes is very uncertain, so much so that it is not uncora- 



