\ 
confessed that a little acquaintance with the techni- 
calities, as specifically applied to them, is necessary 
to produce a taste for the peculiar distinctions or 
niceties required in them ; still we are free to admit 
that these indispensable requisites are not founded 
on mere caprice, but on elegance of symmetry and 
beauty of colour ; and it is partly on the perfection 
of these, and partly on the novelty of their combina- 
tion, which florists place so high a value. Emulation 
and rivalry effect all the rest. 
The prime qualifications of the Auricula, as 
stated by Bradley, above a hundred years ago, are 
the following. We consider his interpretation more 
explicit than the prolixities of modern florists. 
“ First, that the flower stem be strong and substantial : 
secondly, the foot-stalks of the flowers must be short, 
and capable of supporting the blossoms upright : 
thirdly, that the pipe or neck of this flower be 
short : fourthly, that the flowers be large, and of a 
regular form : fifthly, their colours should be bright, 
and well mixed : sixthly, that the eye be large, 
round, and of a good white: seventhly, that the 
flowers spread themselves flat, and be no ways in- 
clinable to cup : and lastly, that there be a good 
truss of flowers, equally spread upon the stalk.” 
To these we may add, that the anthers should close 
over the style, and well fill the mouth of the tube. 
The anthers are commonly called thrum, and the 
foliage or leaves termed grass ; these really are 
vulgarisms that we hope respectable florists will 
banish from their nomenclature. The votaries of 
Flora will never impede the “ march of intellect.” 
The culture of the Auricula in a future number. 
Hort. Kew. 2, v. 1, 326. 
