346 THE PLEASURE, OR [April. 



When the pips become turgid, and begin to expand, they must 

 be preserved from rain; nor should the early plants be suffered to 

 remain in a situation exposed to cold winds; on the contrary, they 

 ought to be selected from the rest, and removed to a shady corner, 

 where they should have hand-glasses suspended over "them, or 

 placed on brick-bats or the like to admit air, and yet preserve the 

 expanding bloom from rain. 



The farina or mealy dust which overspreads and ornaments the 

 surface of those flowers, contributes exceedingly to their lustre 

 and beauty; this must therefore be preserved upon them; the least 

 shower of rain would easily wash it oft; it is also liable to be blown 

 away by the winds; and the sun, if permitted to shine freely on the 

 flowers, would occasion them soon to fade. 



Therefore, where it is required to have the more curious or 

 choice varieties to blow in the best perfection, the pots containing 

 the plants should, according as the flowers begin to open, be imme- 

 diately removed and placed on the shelves of the auricula stage or 

 where the flowers may be protected occasionally from such wea- 

 ther as would deface the bloom. The stand or stage should have 

 from three to five ranges of shelves, in proportion to the number of 

 pots, about six inches wide, rising theatre-like, one above another, 

 from the front; having the back generally placed against a shady 

 wall, pale, or other building; it must be constantly covered at top, 

 water-tight, sloping to the back part; but the front and ends should 

 only be covered occasionally by having some canvass or mats fas- 

 tened thereto by way of curtain, so contrived that it may be readily 

 let down and drawn up at pleasure; which, when the air is very 

 sharp, or in high winds, or driving rains, must be let down to shel- 

 ter the flowers; but when the weather is mild and calm, let the 

 front and ends be constantly open. Or this may also be used 

 occasionally to shade the flowers from the sun, where it has access 

 in the heat of the day; observing, however, generally, not to let 

 the screen remain longer than is necessary for the defence of the 

 bloom. 



Regular waterings should be given during the time the plants 

 are on the stage; examine them once every day to see where water 

 is wanted, and let such pots as stand in need of that article be 

 immediately supplied with it. In doing this suft'er no water to fall 

 on the flowers, for that would wash oft' the afore-mentioned farina- 

 ceous bloom, and greatly deface their beauty. 



The waterings should be moderate and frequent; for these 

 plants being rather of a succulent nature cannot bear too much 

 without material injury. 



Keep the surface of the pots perfectly neat, free from weeds and 

 every sort of litter; suffer no decayed leaves to remain on the 

 plants, but let such, as soon as they appear, be taken oft'. 



By thus placing your auricula pots on a covered stage, it not 

 only preserves the flowers much longer in beauty, but you also 

 more readily view them, and they show themselves to much greater 

 advantage than when placed on the ground. 



The shelves and back of the stage should be painted black, or of 



