caution ought to be taken in any violent storm 
of hail, sleet, &c. Take all the middle weak 
pips out early, by this means the stronger out- 
side pips will produce you a fine crop of seed ; 
this number of plants will, I expect, produce 
a sufficient quantity of seed, for one year* s sow- 
ing, for any private lady or gentleman. It 
will be wdth this as in the growing of wheat 
and other grain, more prolific and plump in 
some seasons than it is in others. 
I strongly press the raising of seedlings, as I 
am convinced great improvement can be made, 
and this flower be brought to higher perfection ; 
and I trust my readers will see fi'om the hints 
I have given, that too much, care cannot be 
taken to select their plants of various ground 
colours, for the purpose of raising new varieties 
therefrom. 
Your Auricula seed will ripen in July, which 
you will know by the pods turning brown, and 
beginning to open: look over your plants every 
day, and gather them as they ripen, lest the 
seed be shaken out by the wind or other accir 
dent, and lost. The whole truss will not ripen 
together, therefore cut off* each pod as it grows 
ripe, and put in a thin paper bag, placing it in 
a window in the sun for two or three days to 
harden, and prevent its growing mouldy. The 
