THE AURICULA. 141 



months, the strength of the compost must be greatly 

 reduced before that time, particularly as they re- 

 quire so much watering during the hot months of 

 June and July : this must tend, beyond all doubt, 

 to exhaust the nutriment contained in so small a 

 body of earth as is in the pots; by which means 

 they will be less able to throw out strong fibres, or 

 to produce you strong blooms in the spring. 



This early potting is attended with another evil 

 consequence ; for, the plants being removed into 

 fresh and more vegetative earth, accompanied with 

 daily waterings, forces them prematurely into a state 

 of active vegetation, and causes them to flower late 

 in the autumn, a circumstance which the florist 

 always views with regret, as it in a great measure 

 destroys his hopes of a fine bloom at their natural 

 and expected season, towards the latter end of April : 

 this last argument of itself appears to me quite con- 

 clusive in favour of late potting. 



The slips or off-sets will also have acquired more 

 strength and better roots, by being suffered to adhere 

 to the parent plant till the beginning of August, and 



