APRIL 289 



the garden all the pleasanter and more refreshing for the 

 night stroll after supper.' 



April 28th. Some years ago I was anxious to grow 

 some Florist Auriculas, but I must frankly own we were 

 never very successful. They took too much frame-room 

 and wanted too much care ; but for anyone who likes to 

 grow special flowers in a small space I cannot imagine 

 anything more interesting than Auricula growing. The 

 following directions were written out for me by a most suc- 

 cessful Auricula grower, and they may prove very useful 

 to some few people who are fond of these flowers : 



' The fancy or Florist's Auricula is divided into green 

 edges,, gray edges, white edges, and selfs. These flowers 

 should be grown in pots. One of the most famous growers 

 (and a man of high class, although his station is only 

 that of a Sheffield workman) is Ben Simonite. According 

 to him a compost of two parts fibrous loam, one part old 

 hot-bed manure, one part old leaf-mould, with sufficient 

 charcoal the size of split peas to keep the soil open, is 

 suitable. This should be put together in the autumn, 

 and turned over frequently during the winter. The right 

 time for re-potting is after the bloom is over ; at this 

 moment (early in April) my earliest plants are in bloom. 

 When potted, the plants require occasional watering, but 

 freedom from drenching rains. If by chance over-much 

 watered, time should be allowed for this excess to pass 

 away, and the plants not watered again until quite dry, 

 although not flagging. Little else is needed, save to 

 remove decaying foliage and keep down the aphis or 

 green fly. All the summer and until November the 

 plants may remain in the open air, save when they are 

 protected from heavy rains. Early in November they go 

 into a cold frame, but ventilated by day whenever the 

 weather is at all fine. Water should be given seldom, but 



