knowing a systematical plan to go by, 1 do not 
pretend to judge. I am certain if they had 
done it, there would have been at least fifty 
fine sorts of show flowers to one : at the pre- 
sent period I do not think we have more than 
five or six leading sorts that are shewn for 
prizes, among which is Metcalfs Lancashire 
Hero. I remember that flower coming out 
at two guineas for a good plant, and for one 
of a younger growth the price was one guinea 
and a half ; this was from a])out the year 1782 to 
1785, but I cannot charge my memoiy exactly 
to the date of the year. This I recollect, my 
father purchased one at two guineas of Mr. 
George Metcalf of Salford, Manchester; this 
now is about thirty years ago. I could wish 
all Auricula fanciers would endeavour eveiy 
year to save seed sufficient to raise about four 
hundred seedlings, out of which 1 reckon they 
might lose about one hundred, making only 
three hundred to be brought to perfection as 
healthy blooming plants. To reduce this plan 
to a certainty, 1 think I can venture with 
truth to say, from sixteen to twenty young 
plants will produce a sufficient quantity of seed, 
on an average of seven years, to raise annually 
the quantity named in this ; but if you have a 
heavy crop of seed, which will be the case 
