110 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Something depends on what may be the reproductive habit 

 of the plant, and something depends upon ourselves. If more 

 among us would raise seedlings, the weariness of waiting for 

 the successes of a few would be lightened, because some one 

 out of many might have an acquisition ready in a livelier suc- 

 cession. Then, too, one good seedling may command another ; 

 while, to the raiser, money would be no equivalent, at least 

 not until " the sweet by-and-bye." 



Success, of course, is conditional — perhaps highly so. It 

 will depend upon energy and judgment — upon continuity and 

 abundance of efforts — upon impartiality, I may say severity, 

 towards our own productions — upon thoughtful selection of 

 parentage — upon patient, steady aim in following the aspiration 

 of the Auricula in some fresh phase of beauty, indistinct as yet, 

 in the morning mists of its uprising. 



For myself, the hope I speak of rests on this : that since I 

 have been enabled to raise seedlings from seedlings, and so by 

 degrees have become independent of some weaker types, and 

 have ceased to hark back to old crosses because in their day 

 they resulted in some measure of success, I find the properties 

 we would develop do become more and more impressed upon the 

 Auricula. Exceptions of course are manifold. I have raised 

 whole flights for nothing good. But still the tendency is 

 marked, the drift is there ; and each achievement adds its own 

 impress and volume, its own impetus, to the next succession. 



That is no new discovery of mine in floriculture, but it is 

 cheering to find it borne out in the Auricula, a flower that was 

 accounted most slow and difficult to improve. 



Perhaps it is noteworthy that seed should not be saved from 

 even the best varieties if they are out of character, as even the 

 best can be at times. In that form, the flower is practically a 

 bad sort ; and though the variety bears a good name, yet a 

 faulty specimen shows no respect for family honour and 

 traditions. 



In early days of my experience I practised a sort of economy, 

 sparing a flower in good character — perhaps for show— and 

 thinking that a rough one, so long as the variety was good, 

 would do for seed. But while yet I could use only old crosses, I 

 found it the truer economy to employ only the best varieties in 

 their best character for parents. 



