114 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



But intrinsically they are here the " how-not-to-do-its " of 

 the Auricula ; and whether they tend to strengthen our demon- 

 stration of the Auricula in her florist lines of beauty, or to deflect 

 or else confuse the public taste, I am not sure. 



At one of our Northern shows a winning exhibitor obtained no 

 offers for any of his high-class flowers, but he was bidden £2 10s. 

 for a basketful of "fancies " — sad things ! Pale ghosts of aniline 

 dyes ; shades of weak mustard ; phantom tints of pickled 

 cucumber ! It did equal honour to his business head and to his 

 florist heart that he promptly accepted that offer. 



Perhaps, too, it is from cognizance of our toleration, expansion, 

 or dilution in this respect that now and again we are favoured, 

 through the papers, with the complaint that our " Little Nationals 

 do less than they ought, to make supply of beautiful and vigorous 

 border flowers, and thus florists are the first people that ever were 

 blamed for strictly minding their own business. 



For a last word let me express the hope that more in our 

 ranks will grow their own seedlings, for to be without them is 

 to miss one. feature of incessant interest and freshness. It is to 

 stop at home when they might travel abroad and be the first to 

 see something new. It is to miss the whole charm of exploration 

 and discovery — yea, the very " Traveller's Joy " of floriculture. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. James Douglas, as chairman, apologised for the absence 

 of Mr. J. T. D. Llewelyn, who should have read a paper on 

 Primulas, but who was unavoidably absent owing to public 

 engagements. Mr. Douglas then proceeded to make some 

 remarks upon Alpine Auriculas, referring especially to the green- 

 edged and grey-edged species, and to one of the finest yellow- 

 colour named Buttercup. These were hardy, and could be 

 grown successfully either in a border or in pots. 



Mr. Shirley Hibbeed traced the history of the Auricula 

 from the primitive plant which once grew on the margin of a 

 stream to the most elaborate hybrid now cultivated in our green- 

 houses. The Auricula could be traced back for 300 years, and 

 the beautifully- edged flowers dated from 1734. After a great 

 number of experiments we had got back to the original form of 

 the flower, but not to the original colour, at least not to the 

 satisfaction of botanists. The speaker deprecated the indefinite 



