April.] FLOWER-GARDEN. 347 
The ground colour should be bold and rich, and equal on every 
side of the eye, whether it be in one uniform circle, or in bright 
patches; it should be distinct at the eye, and only broken at the 
outward part, into the edging; a fine black purple, or coffee-colour, 
contrast best with the eye; a rich blue, or bright pink, is pleasing, 
but a glowing scarlet, or deep crimson, would be most desirable, if 
well edged with a bright green; but this is very rare. 
The green edge, or margin, is the principal cause of the varie- 
gated appearance in the flower; and it should be in proportion to 
the ground colour; that is, about one half of each. 
The darker grounds are generally covered with a white pow- 
der, which constitutes much of the beauty of the flower. 
Compost for Jluriculas. 
The compost proper for Auriculas, should consist of the follow- 
ing ingredients, in the annexed proportions, viz. 
One half, rotten cow-dung, two years old. 
One sixth, fresh sound earth, of an open texture. 
One eighth, earth of rotten leaves. 
One twelfth, coarse sea or river sand. 
One twelfth, moory earth. 
One twenty-fourth, ashes of burned vegetables. 
These ingredients should be well incorporated, and placed in an 
open situation, perfectly exposed to the action of the sun and air; it 
should be laid in a regular heap or mass from fifteen to eighteen 
inches thick and turned frequently: in this state it should remain 
a year or six months, turning it once every two months, and keeping 
it always free from weeds: before it is used, it should be passed 
through a coarse screen, to free it from stones, &c. and to incorpo- 
rate it the more effectually. 
New Potting Auriculas, and Increasing them by Slips. 
The most adviseable time to transplant, or to slip auriculas, or as 
it is usually termed, to pot them, is immediately, or very soon after 
their bloom is over; and this should be repeated annually; for it 
preserves the health and constitution of the plants, by affording them 
a fresh supply of nourishment, and affords an opportunity of cur- 
tailing the fibres, if grown too long, or if any are decayed and 
mouldy; or of cutting off the lower part of the main root, if in a rot- 
ting or decayed state, which is frequently the case. By this treat- 
ment, the plants are brought into a state of action and fresh vege- 
tation, which will cause a continued circulation of the juices, during 
the summer. 
The pots should be hard baked, and for blooming plants, ought 
to be seven inches in diameter at top, four and a half at bottom, and 
about seven deep: but smaller plants, and offsets, should have 
shallower pots, and of a proportionate size; and very large plants, 
must have pots in proportion. These before being used, if new, 
should be immersed in water, for five or six hours, or more. 
