I 



316 The Gardinf-r's New Director. 

 and as foon as you perceive the beauty of the flower 

 is going ofF, fet tlum on the railed ftage. No. 2. of 

 which 1 have given an cnj^raved rcprefentation. When 

 our flowers are in blow, give them all the air you can, 

 ut protect them from the fun and wind, giving them a 

 good watering twice a week, or oftencr as yon fee occa-. 

 Hon, picking off all dead or dying leaves; and whenever 

 you do this, be careful they do not come off with llrings 

 peeling dov/n the plant; in that Rate it will be better 

 to take them off with the point of a knife. Such as yon 

 ■would chufe to have feed from, mufl be mmaged in 

 another manner. 



In February or March, when you give new eartii to 

 your Auriculas, obferve if they have well- rooted off-feis: 

 If they have, take them off (obferving the caution in 

 page 313) and when potted, place them in a fhady fitu- 

 ation, not expofed to florms. You may continue to take 

 off-fets, from February until Alay : They will flrike in 

 three weeks; and by autumn, if well taken care of, they 

 will be pretty flout. At this time Florirts are particularly 

 defirous of removing the off-fets, that the Mother-Plant 

 may not be impeded, but be enabled to bring forth a 

 flrong and well formed flower. 



In Of.ober, fet the off-fets in the fhade, or in the 

 frame, to be rnanaged as I have direfted for their 

 mother-plants the preceding winter. In February, 

 when you earth up the old plants, prepare a bed of freffi 

 virgin-loam only; which will be much the better to be 

 'often turned in the winter, to be moulded by the froft. 

 Make this bed two feet deep, and three broad ; raifing 

 it three inches above the path-way, allowing it three 

 weeks to fettle before planting ; then take three dozen 

 of your flrongell off-fets, or even feme of the mother- 

 plants, if you fhould not have fufficient of the firfl; take 

 them out of the pots with their whole earth, make pits 

 in your bed, and plant them as deep as they were in their 

 pots, eight inches afunder every way ; and in dry wea- 

 ther, give them fome water in an evening: Here they will 

 flower, and produce vou much more and better feed than 

 your plants in pots This bed mufl: be in a well fhel- 

 tered fpot, fo as to have the fun from morning till eleven 

 in the forenoon. 



Your 



