140 CULTIVATION. 



tunity presents itself of exposing the plants to a 

 warm spring shower, they should have the ad- 

 vantage of it. Rain is peculiarly refreshing to all 

 growing plants ; special care being taken that a 

 night frost does not reach the plants before they 

 are dry. Protection against frost is essentially 

 necessary at this time, as a very slight attack 

 destroys the fine colours of the flowers. Mr. 

 Hogg advises covering even up to the time of 

 full bloom. 



The flowers of the auricula are not terminal ; 

 the buds being seated on the sides of the rising 

 stem among the leaves. They are irregularly 

 developed : sometimes a leading one will rise 

 from near the summit, and sometimes from the 

 side lower down. If more than one truss come 

 forth from the same stem, the strongest only 

 should be allowed to stand, if it be wished to 

 have flowers in the greatest perfection : the 

 inferior trusses are in this case pinched off. And 

 when the preferred truss begins to open its florets, 

 these, if too numerous, require to be thinned, so 

 as to leave no more than will compose a well- 



