AUR 



[89 ] 



AUR 



forming a band not less than half the 

 width of the tube, aad encircling it. 



"4. The ground-colour should be dense, 

 whole, and form a perfect circle next the 

 eye. The brighter, darker, or richer the 

 colour, the better the flower ; but, if it be 

 paler at the edges (where they are parted 

 into five), or have two colours or shades, 

 it s a fatal defect. 



" 5. The margin, or outer edge, should 

 be a clear, unchangeable green, grey, or 

 white, and be about the same width as 

 the ground-colour, which must in no part 

 go through to the edge. From the edge 

 of the paste to the outer edge of the 

 flower should be as wide as from the 

 centre of the tube to the outer edge of 

 the paste. In other words, the propor- 

 tions of the flowers may be described by 

 drawing four circles round a given point, 

 at equal distances ; the first circle forming 

 the tube, the second the white eye, the 

 third the ground-colour, and the fourth 

 the outer edge of the flower; and the 

 nearer they approximate to this (except 

 that the ground-colour, which may be a 

 little broader than the other bands, and 

 the green or grey edge, may run into each 

 other in feathery points), the better the 

 flower. The colours should not be liable 

 to fly, as is the defect of Stretch's Alex- 

 ander, the colours of which fade in three 

 or four days. 



" Of the Plant. 1. The stem should 

 be strong, round, upright, elastic, bearing 

 the truss upright without support, and 

 from four to seven inches high, so as to 

 carry the truss well, but not too high 

 above the leaves. 



" 2. The length and strength of the 

 foot-stalks of the pips should be so pro- 

 portioned to the number and size of 

 these, that all the pips may have room 

 to show themselves, and to form a com- 

 pact, semi-globular truss of flowers, not 

 less than five, though we prefer seven in 

 number, without lapping over each other. 

 The pips should be all alike in colour, 

 size, and form, so as not to be easily dis- 

 tinguished from one another; for, other- 

 wise, the unity and harmony of the truss 

 will be destroyed, and, although ever so 

 beautifully formed, would appear as if 

 taken from different sorts of Auricula. 

 An Auricula ought to blow freely, and 

 expand all its pips at the same time ; for, 

 by this means, the colours in them all 

 will appear equally fresh and lively ; 

 whereas, in those trusses that do not 



open some of th^. pips till others have 

 passed their prim^, the whole appearance 

 of the truss is impaired. 



" 3. The truss is improved if one or 

 more leaves grow, and stand up well 

 behind the bloom ; for it assists the truss, 

 and adds much to the beauty of the 

 bloom, by forming a green background. 



"4. The foliage, or grass, should be 

 healthy, well-grown, and almost cover 

 the pot." Gard. and Florist, i. 45. 



" We are of opinion that all these cri- 

 teria are founded upon the dictates of 

 correct taste; but, as these excellencies 

 are never combined in one variety, and 

 as some, being equals in many qualities, 

 are mutually superior in others, the ques- 

 tion constantly arises, at Auricula exhibi- 

 tions, as to which variety has the prepon- 

 derance of merit. Now, we are clearly 

 of opinion that form, including in this 

 the relative proportions of the colours on 

 the pips, the half-globular form of the 

 truss, the number of pips, &c., is by far 

 the most striking excellence in an Auri- 

 cula. Next to this we should place the 

 harmony, or, as we should prefer, the 

 agreeable contrast, or complemental as- 

 sociation of the colours. 



" Of the Pairs. Auriculas are usually 

 exhibited two specimens together, or ' in 

 pairs.' These should be of equal height 

 and size in all their parts, leaves as well 

 as blooms ; for it is offensive to the eye 

 to see a dwarf by the side of a tall- 

 growing specimen. It is also desirable 

 that the colours should differ ; thus, a 

 green-edged and a white-edged, a dark 

 ground-colour and a light ground-colour, 

 should go together. But we do not at- 

 tach so much importance to this diversity 

 of colour as some judges do. We think 

 it should have no weight further than 

 that, if two competing pairs are exactly 

 of equal merit in other respects, the 

 prize should be awarded to the pair of 

 best-contrasted colours. But the slight- 

 est superiority in any characteristic of 

 the pip or truss, we think, ought to pre- 

 vail over this mere matter of taste ; for 

 the other characteristics are evidences of 

 better cultivation." (The Cottage Gar- 

 dener, iii.) 



Propagation is effected by taking slips 

 from, and dividing roots of, approved 

 varieties, after the seed has ripened, in 

 July and August, and by the seed itself. 



Raising Varieties. The parent plants 

 should be vigorous ; and, before the pipd 



