had published separate canons whereby the supe- 

 riority of rival flowers might be determined. The 

 work in which these appeared was written by Mr. 

 James Thompson, a florist of Newcastle, and pub- 

 lished at that town, in 1757, under the title of ** The 

 distinguishing properties of a fine Auricula." 



These, however, were not the first ; for that fertile 

 writer on such subjects, Richard Bradley, in his 

 " New Improvements of Gardening," pubhshed in 

 1718, gives seven characteristics of excellence which 

 are " required by skilful florists" to be possessed by 

 the Auricula. His directions for the culture of the 

 flower, and his compost, are not so mistakenly rich 

 and stimulating as was recommended by his succes- 

 sors. 



In Lancashire, too, the cultivation of this flower 

 was at that time sedulously pursued even by the wea- 

 vers, for, from living witnesses, we have authentic 

 evidence that the Auricula was cultivated at Middle- 

 ton, and a few miles round, as early as the year 1720. 

 James Fitton, of Middleton, began growing when he 

 was from 14 to 15 years old ; and at that time they 

 were cultivated to some extent ; and the growers of 

 that period had devoted years to their improvement 

 and cultivation ; so, by adding 25 years to the time 

 when he began, which was the year 1746, there is 

 direct evidence that they have been cultivated at least 

 127 years. Fitton died at the good old age of 86 



