Auricula 



Auricula 



Plnito: Ctiftzell rf- Company, Lttl. 



AVRICULA Loiil) DUDLEY (ALPINE). 



seed-bearer before expansion ought to be taken, so 

 as to prevent self-fertilisation. The resulting 

 seerls are sown as soon as ripe, or at the beginning 

 of March. The soil in the pots ought to be of a 

 rather sandy nature. The seeds must be very 

 Jightly covered with light, fine soil, and the pots 

 afterwards placed in a rather close frame, where 

 they may remain, covered with a sheet of 

 paper, until the seeds germinate, when light and 

 air should be given gradually. When strong 

 enough they must be pricked out separately, and 

 afterwards placed in small pots singly, and grown 

 on until their value can be proved. Named or 

 meritorious varieties are propagated by offsets, 

 taken off as near the middle of February as 

 possible, or, at least, when top-dressing. The 

 offsets are put round the edges of small pots, and 

 kept rather close under glass until they have 

 rooted properly. If the top of the old plant is 

 taken off and struck in a pot, other suckers will 

 probably be produced. 



Soil. Modern growers adopt a much simpler 

 compost than those of many years ago, who con- 

 cocted wonderful compounds in which to grow 

 their plants. Auriculas are healthier with a simple 

 compost, composed of old loam of a fibrous 

 nature, made from good turf which has been cut 

 and stored in a heap for about a year; well- 

 decayed cow manure, leaf mould, and some coarse 

 s-nnd, with a little charcoal. A proportion of about 

 frmr pirts loam to one part each of the manure, 

 leaf mould, and sand will answer, with a little of 



the other ingredients. They must, as a matter of 

 course, be properly mixed. A similar soil will 

 suit the Alpine Auriculas, but their requirements 

 are not so exacting, and they can be grown in 

 ordinary garden mould. 



Other Cultural Points. Repotting Auriculas is 

 done as soon after flowering as possible, though it 

 may be necessary to delay it if seed-saving is 

 followed. May and up to the end of June is, 

 perhaps, the best period in which to perform this 

 operation. Many plants have been grown in 6" 

 pots, but the size mo-it generally used now is 5". 

 The pots must be well drained, and on the crocks 

 should be placed some of the more fibrous portions 

 of the soil, with a little charcoal or leaf mould. In 

 repotting, shake off part of the old soil and trim in 

 the roots slightly. Firm potting is not needed for 

 the Auricula, yet it must not be too loosely put 

 into the soil. After potting, place the plants in 

 their summer frames, keeping them close and 

 rather dry for a few days. Frames for the Auri- 

 cula in summer ought to face to the north, but 

 the plants should be in frames or houses, with a 

 south exposure, from the beginning of November 

 to the end of April. The frames should be of 

 sufficient height to allow of a small stage on which 

 to stand the pots. A low span-roof house, with a 

 little heat in spring, is found useful by those who 

 compete at the early shows. Watering and giving 

 air are two important things in cultivating these 

 fine flowers. They need good supplies when 

 growing, but in winter little water is needed.... 



Enemies. The pests which trouble the Auricula 



.- dinnt n ( f- CttBtpanff, Ltd, 



Al'lUCl'LA REV. J?\ D. HuitNEU (GuEKN-EDGE). 



