69 



vent the stems being drawn up weak, and let them 

 receive all the gentle rains that fall from the middle 

 to the end of March, to encourage and promote their 

 growth ; but shut them close at nights, and give 

 extra thick covering to prevent the opening blossoms 

 being nipped by the frost, which will still frequently 

 recur at this season ; for whatever petals are touched 

 by frost never become level, nor show their right 

 colours. If there does not occur rain sufficient to 

 reach their roots, at the bottom of the pots, give the 

 plants manured water twice, and do the same again 

 in March, allowing a week between each watering. 

 {Hogg, 135.) 



Take the offsets out of the small pots with all the 

 earth about them, remove a little of the earth from 

 the top, and place them into larger pots for bloom 

 also : this should be done in open mild weather ; and 

 your plants now should be exposed to all the gentle 

 rains in this month, and at the same time carefully 

 defended from frosts and hail storms, that they may 

 produce fresh roots the sooner. {EmmertoUy 88.) 



MARCH TO MAY — BLOOMING PERIOD. 



The most critical period has now arrived, for, to 

 bloom Auriculas well, too great attention cannot be 

 paid to them at this period for about four or live 

 weeks, to prevent them from being set, or checked by 

 frost. This strict care commences about the 20th of 



