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same care of as a full grown Auricula, till they blow 

 again ; at which time their respective merits and 

 properties may be ascertained with more accuracy. 

 Such weakly plants as are not able to blow the first 

 or second year, ought, nevertheless, to be carefully 

 preserved ; for amongst these, it often happens that 

 the most valuable flowers are found. (MaddocWs 

 Florists' Birec. 128). 



Having given the directions of the principal writers 

 upon the Auricula, it is necessary to point out what 

 we consider to be their defects. There are few advo- 

 cates for autumnal sowings of seed, as it makes but 

 little progress before the winter sets in, and there is a 

 great risk of the seedlings being cut off. Another 

 palpable error in the systems of the cultivators just 

 quoted is the watering over the foliage of the Auri- 

 cula seedlings, for more losses arise from this cause 

 than any other. The primitive plan adopted by the 

 most celebrated cultivators in the north is far better 

 adapted to the purpose. They generally take a tea- 

 pot, and water around the edges of the pots, without 

 even wetting the foliage, both in seedlings and bloom- 

 ing plants. The potting of seedlings into small pots, as 

 mentioned by Emmerton and others, is another very 

 great mistake. We never knew an Auricula grower 

 of any note who either potted his offsets or his seed- 

 lings into small pots, but principally into large ones, 

 some even more than a foot in diameter, and around 

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