50 FLORA BOMESTICA. 



in June. When the seeds are ripe, the seed-vessel will 

 turn brown, and open. When they are perfectly dry, 

 gather them, and lay them in an open paper exposed to the 

 sun. To prevent their growing mouldy, they must remain 

 in the pods till the season for sowing them. 



Soon after they are past flowering, Auriculas should be 

 taken out of the earth, such fibres as have grown very 

 long should be shortened, and the lower part of the 

 main root, if too long or decayed, cut off. If the lower 

 leaves be faded or withered, strip them off in a down- 

 ward direction : take off the offsets, and plant them in 

 pots. Have ready a pot, three-parts filled with the pre- 

 pared earth, highest in the middle ; there place the old 

 plant, with its fibres regularly distributed all round : then 

 fill the pot up with the same earth % and lay a little clean 

 coarse sand on the surface, round the stem of the plant. 

 The pot should be gently shaken, to settle the earth about 

 the root. It should be planted within half an inch of the 

 lowest leaves ; for, as the most valuable fibres shoot from 

 that part, they will so be encouraged to strike root sooner. 



When the offsets have formed one or more fibres of an 

 inch or two in length, they may be parted from the mother- 

 plant with the fingers, and planted as directed for young 

 seedlings, several in a pot, until they are large enough to 

 be transplanted separately. 



In May, that is, as soon as this planting and trans- 

 planting is finished, the plants, old and young, should be 

 placed in a shady, airy situation ; by no means where the 

 water from other plants can drip on them ; and there 

 remain till September, or, if the weather be mild, till 

 October, when they must be sheltered from rain, snow, 

 and frost, but must still be allowed air. They may be 

 placed near a window, which should be open in mild 

 weather, and closed when frosty. 



