RAISING NEW AURICULAS. 



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short, nor into the plant, but just below the flower-stalks, so that the stem may ripen 

 like a straw, and not damp down into the heart, where it works fatal mischief. 



Increase and Propagation. 

 Only, of course, by raising seedlings can an increase in the number of varieties of 

 the Auricula be effected. Plants of existing varieties are increased in number by two 

 methods of propagation: — (1) The removal of offsets or side growths, commonly; 

 (2) Taking off the tops, and rooting them, when the plants are slow in producing 

 offsets. 



On the raising of new varieties, the master florist of the Auricula world (Eev. F. D. 

 Horner) has written as follows : — 



" To any one beginning to raise seedlings of the classical Auricula, is hereby offered 

 the friendly advice, to be severe enough in judgment of his own seedlings, comparing 

 them with nothing lower than the highest known types, and wherever these are not 

 ideally perfect, to work for that which is not yet attained. Many a flower, admittedly 

 not of first-class quality, has vanished from the muster-roll, although its raiser's name 

 was great. 



" The only exception deserving commutation of sentence should arise from the 

 appearance of some striking new feature, that might be, at first, but suggestively 

 and shyly manifested, as in the beautiful pink selfs, quite a recent break in colour 

 among this richly endowed class. There are only two or three varieties yet, in which 

 the pink is firmly established, and these are not of shades so lovely as many of those 

 that fade ; but, without doubt, a perfect development lies possible in the future. The 

 same lovely pink has also appeared once (with me) in a white-edged seedling. The 

 flowers while young are a dream of beauty, with tube of rich gold, paste of snowy meal, 

 peach blossom, pink body colour, and rich white mealed edge. But the pink is not 

 steadfast. 



" At present (1897) all our best-edged Auriculas have a body colour of rich velvety 

 black, valued because of its truth and constancy. Other colours, such as crimson, 

 scarlet, chocolate, violet blue, and brown, will come out rich and steadfast upon the 

 selfs. But, so far, where such colours have been forecast upon the green, grey, and 

 white-edged flowers, they have not been true to one distinct shade; and however 

 pretty this may be, and is, in other flowers, it certainly does not so well become this 

 type of the Auricula, as a depth of one rich colour. 



