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ON THE CULTUEE OF THE AURICULA. 
ON THE CULTURE OF THE AURICULA, 
By Mr. Dickson. 
The Auricula is a native of Austria, Switzerland, Syria, and the lofty Caucasus. It 
was introduced about the year 1596, and has been long prized by florists. The name. 
Primula Auricula, is derived from primus, first, in allusion to its early flowering, and 
auricula, from auris, an ear, from the resemblance of the leaf to an animal's ear. 
It is now too late in the season to begin from the first with the cultivation of the 
Auricula; yet as many amateurs may already have in possession a collection of these plants, 
it may be useful to furnish the particulars for successful management. 
Any time from the beginning to the end of February the plants must be top-dressed. 
This business is performed as follows : — remove the plants to a convenient place, and turn 
each out of its pot with the ball entire, that you may be certain the drainage is good, and 
the soil free from worms ; remove about an inch of the surface mould from around the 
neck of the plant, and replace it in the pot ; loosen the soil betwixt the fibres with a thin 
pointed stick to about half an inch deep, and remove every offset likely to impoverish the 
mother plant. In this last operation always use a sharp knife, as by tearing off the offsets, 
a wound is sometimes made, which proves fatal to the plant ; some are more susceptible of 
injury in this respect than others, of which the variety known as Lee's Col. Taylor may be 
adduced as proof. Having thus far proceeded, fill round the neck of the plant with prepared 
compost, which should consist of two-parts sheep manure, in a very decomposed state, one- 
part rich turfy loam, and one-part decayed leaf-mould, just coloured with silver sand ; the 
stems of show plants should be buried rather low in the soil ; strike the pot steadily 
to settle the earth, and the operation is complete. Now proceed with potting the offsets ; 
— the compost best suited for these must be formed of one-part loam, one-part peat, and 
one-part leaf-mould, coloured as before with silver sand. In potting offsets it is well to 
divide them, placing the stronger kinds in single sixty-sized pots, the others five or six in 
a pot, placed round the rim. Water them with a fine rose watering-pot, and place them 
in a situation where they can have the advantage of the morning sun. Strong rooted 
plants may be put in small frames, and kept about four inches from the glass, but the 
weaker ones, and those that are not rooted, strike best under hand-glasses ; give air for an 
hour or two in the morning, by drawing the lights off the frames ; if the weather is cold, 
replace them. In warm weather the lights may be tilted about an inch at the back, 
and the plants shaded with canvas from the rays of the sun. The hand-glasses will 
require lifting only once in three days for an hour ; shade the same as in frames. To 
bloom these flowers in perfection is the next consideration. The proper time to 
remove the plants from the frames to their blooming glasses is when the trusses 
are formed, and the pips about the size of peas ; then place the pots on a bed of 
coal-ashes, keeping the early and late kinds under separate glasses, as they will require 
a different course of treatment. These points of information are essential to the culti- 
vator, as some varieties can be kept back for exhibition, v;hilst others must be caught 
to the day. Oliver's Lovely Ann, Lee's Colonel Taylor, Page's Champion, Fletcher's Ne 
Plus Ultra, and Waterhouse's Conqueror of Europe, will remain in perfection for a week 
or ten days after the bloom is fully expanded, whilst Stretche's Emperor Alexander, 
Taylor's Glory, Netherwood's Othello, and a few others, will not last above a day or two 
after they are in bloom. The plants should be placed on a kind of stage, erected for the 
purpose, about eighteen inches from the ground ; a northern aspect is the best for the pur- 
pose. Warmth is indispensable to the production of fine blooms, and care must be taken 
that they are not checked in their progress towards expansion ; should they be so, exhibition 
must be abandoned for that season. This portion of the management involves some little 
difficulty, but there are few persons who have not felt themselves well repaid when witnessing 
the effects produced on their plants by such means. While the pips are swelling, both rain and 
sun are beneficial, although the pips themselves must not be exposed to either, — as the rain 
