ON florists' flowers. 



49 



varieties, and very slowly by others. I have grown an old plant 

 for six years without obtaining an offset, while others will produce 

 as many as from six to a dozen in one year ; but from three to 

 six are as many as one might expect. I use what the trade term 

 "thumb" pots for the offsets. In the case of very small offsets, 

 three or four may be planted in one pot, though in some cases 

 one or two will be better. They become established most 

 readily in close hand-lights in a shady place. When the plants 

 begin to grow, admit more air, and pot off when necessary. The 

 old growers used to have specially-constructed frames for their 

 plants, and mysteriously compounded soils in which to plant 

 them. In a word, the whole art and culture of the Auricula was 

 supposed to be known only to the initiated. The day has long 

 gone by for the public to be gulled with floral jargon, and it is 

 now well known that the Auricula is one of the easiest of all 

 plants to grow when its simple requirements are understood. A 

 good compost for Auriculas is made with four parts of decayed 

 fibrous loam, one part of decayed cow-manure, and one part of 

 leaf-mould. I never use artificial manure in Auricula potting 

 material. The manure must be free from grubs and worms. 



Auriculas can be grown and flowered to perfection in ordinary 

 garden-frames ; these should be placed on the north side of a wall 

 or fence, as the Auricula is very impatient of bright sunshine, 

 especially during the summer months ; but the plants like an abund- 

 ance of air. The lights should therefore be removed whenever the 

 weather is favourable, and by this method well-developed plants 

 and compact trusses will be obtained. There is in the diversity 

 of foliage, as well as in the quaint, and marvellous beauty of the 

 flowers, a never-faihng source of delight to the fancier during the 

 spring months when the trusses are in course of development. 



The Auricula is one of the oldest flowers that has been 

 specially cultivated for exhibition purposes, and many of the 

 fanciers of the present day, I fear, would scarcely care to cultivate 

 the Auricula unless they could exhibit it. In order to ensure 

 having plants in good condition and in full blossom on the right 

 day," heated houses are built in which to flower them, and the 

 heating apparatus is always used to keep out the frost. As soon 

 as the first pips on a truss open, the plants must be shaded from 

 bright sunshine. A dry atmosphere is injurious to them, but it 

 must not be over-moist ; a medium pleasant atmosphere is best. 

 Great care must be exercised in conveying the plants to exhi- 

 bitions, as the least touch upon the thickly-placed farina on flower 



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