June 18, 1335. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
507 
The winter garden was designed and the whole of the works carried 
out by Messrs. J. Weeks & Co., Horticultural Engineers, King’s Road, 
Chelsea. 
Some idea of its magnitude may be gathered from the fact that the 
weight of prepared wood, glass, and ironwork alone was upwards of 
110 tons. 
SOME AURICULA NOTES. 
What a revolution has been made in the history of Auriculas during 
the la9t few years ! In times past we used to see occasional articles in 
the gardening papers giving very precise and definite instructions as to 
what to do and what not to do in cultivating these beautiful flowers. I 
do not know that these articles really exerted much influence on growers 
of this plant. However, on those who did not cultivate them, but who 
would have liked to do so, I have no doubt that most, if not all, of these 
cultural notices had a decidedly deterrent effect. At least I know it was 
so in my own case, and if it had not been for the kindness of a practical 
grower who presented me with a small selection, which gave me an 
opportunity to prove the delusiveness of much that was written about 
the difficulty of growing and the risk of losing valuable sorts, I might 
have remained much longer unacquainted with this most loveable Alpine. 
Only a few years ago I was alone as a grower of Auriculas in this 
district. This year I know of about a dozen who are forming collections, 
all in the immediate neighbourhood, and from what I learn from other 
districts I should be inclined to prophesy that Auriculas will, in a few 
years, be considered necessary plants to grow in every garden. Perhaps 
they may not obtain that amount of loving attention for which they so 
well repay their friends, but it is something to know that they are breaking 
in on the Chinese Primulas and Cinerarias which every greenhouse must 
have in their season. 
The Auricula is a flower which is essentially of the homely or domestic 
type. In order to enjoy its beauties and to give it justice it requires to be 
treated as a friend. For that reason it is of all others the flower of 
amateurs. The varieties have little foibles which must be found out and 
treated with respect at the risk of the slighted ones failing to show off at 
their best. That may be one great reason why gardeners, with affections 
perforce divided among so many floral charmers, fail, as a rule, to shine as 
growers of the Auricula. I would entreat those who intend to grow, or 
are growing, a selection of these, to make friends with their plants at 
once, and personally to look to their little wants. They will well repay 
any extra care. 
In presenting a few cultural notes I would not think of going over 
the whole field lying before us. Oa such matters as the best kind of 
structure in which to grow the plants, the relative excellencies of glazed 
or unglazed pots, of “ long Toms,” or ordinary everyday receptacles, I 
will have nothing to say. In these things I take what I can get and do 
not grumble on account of these matters if in anything failure is apparent. 
The first thing I would desire to note is the tap root. Anyone who 
attempts to grow the Auricula, and who neglects a systematic overhauling 
of “taps,” is doomed to failure. I very soon found this after beginning 
my novitiate ; and as the result of a few years’ experience I found that 
the more tap root a plant had the less satisfactory was its behaviour at the. 
flowering period, and indeed all the season through, so I determined to do 
with as little tap root as possible. The effect has been improved results 
in more ways than one. Though I am not writing exactly for novices, it 
may not, on that account, be desirable to leave out altogether a reference to 
the place “ tap ” roots occupy in the economy of Auricula life. As a matter 
of fact they are not roots at all. As the foliage of each successive growth 
after fulfilling its mission is removed, the stem on which the leaves were 
supported is left behind, and from the fresh portion of stem thus left 
bare, roots are protruded for the nourishment of the plant. It is the 
endeavour of the plant to keep this portion of stem out of the soil, and to 
send down its roots Pandanus-like into the surface of the ground. The 
grower, on the other hand, keeps the bare portions of stem buried under¬ 
ground, in order that the fresh-made roots may have full benefit of the 
results of his catering to the wants of the plant. Where a timid 
administration is in force a fear prevails that by removing too much of 
this so-called tap root the plant may be damaged; and if this policy so 
far prevails as to induce the leaving of a portion of this underground 
stem, which is practically devoid of all vitality, though apparently still 
fresh, then in the course of the season decay may, and often does, 
supervene, and the life of the plant is endangered, while in any case 
its health deteriorates. 
The Auricula forms no exception to the general rule, that a strong 
young plant—fully developed—is superior to an old one. I have found 
that for myself, and I have also found that the simplest mode of effecting 
a radical improvement in old plants with a super-abundance of tap root 
s to make a cutting of the top of the plant and keep the old stump for 
any offsets which may be induced to appear, and when these are large 
enough, to detach to throw the rest away. Tops taken as soon as the 
plants have flowered, established in small pots in light open soil, and when 
established shifted on into larger pots to flower in, make good plants the 
first year. About fifty tops are at present undergoing the first stage of 
the above process in our small collection. They are easily established in a 
cold frame, and are kept closely shaded from the sun, and shut closely 
from the air for two or three weeks until the new roots begin to run. 
I always endeavour to have a few roots showing before taking the tops. 
Another matter of some importance is that connected with the increase 
of plants of any particular sort. Some allowed to grow and increase in 
the ordinary way of making offsets, are so extremely shy to break that 
Practically the stock of plants may be said to remain always about the 
s ame in number. Some of these sorts are also amoDg the finest varieties, 
consequently their price has always been maintained through the demand 
exceeding, or at least keeping pace, with the supply. 1 have, in my 
endeavour to raise quickly a stock of such varieties, adopted two methods 
of increase, the first of which is connected with the mode of top-striking 
above referred to. When a top is removed from a healthy plant it in¬ 
variably follows that latent buds immediately push from the stem left, 
and duly become strong enough to be detached and made to form plants 
themselves. Thus, in addition to the fifty tops which are now becoming 
established plants in my collection, there will average some three offsets 
from each cut-down plant ; but as we do not care to behead plants until 
they are becoming somewhat too aged to produce the best results, it 
occurs that buds do not always break so freely ou these as they should do. 
To make certain of a good number of offsets we modified our plan, and 
on those plants which we wanted to increase rapidly we have most suc¬ 
cessfully, for three or four years past, adopted a less vigorous method. It 
is as follows:—Any particular plant we wish to increase is watched, and 
the young growth which follows the flower-spike removed as soon as it 
is possible to do so effectually. The result of this is, that young growths 
are forced to break, and they do so in greater numbers than if the entire 
top were removed. I have practised this method on a large number of 
plants, mostly valuable ones, such as Headly’s George Lightbody, Prince 
of Greens, John Simonite, Conservative, Alexander Meiklejohn, &c., and 
in every case with success. It may be noted that some varieties, as, for 
instance, George Lightbody, Beauty, and C. J. Perry, have a habit of 
sending up offsets from the bottom of the tap root. After the other offsets 
are removed the best plan is to shake out the old stump and repot in a 
smaller-sized pot, so that these back offsets may be as short in the root- 
stock as possible. 
As to the management of offsets I find that February is the best time 
to remove these. Our practice i9 to take off all that are ready, large or 
small, at that time. We keep the offsets in a late Peach house for two 
or three months, and there much more rapid progress is made than if 
kept in cold frames. The first thing to see to is that they become estab¬ 
lished quickly, and to this end rather small pots are used, and the strongest 
and most forward are pntted as they become ready. It is bad policy to 
allow the plants when young to be starved in small pots. By judicious 
treatment and shifting as required many will throw good trusses the first 
year, and, in fact, while the plants are young and the roots in vigorous 
health it is much better to shift on at the usual summer potting than to 
shake such plants out. 
Referring now to this annual part of the treatment, our stock is re¬ 
potted as soon after the flowering is past as possible. This year we had 
finished before May was out. I think it is much better for the plants, as 
strong roots are formed about that time, and these get the full benefit of 
new soil, while the young growth is also benefited at an early stage. As 
to any bad effect early potting has on the plants blooming in autumn, I 
fail to see wherein it lies, and at any rate it is doubtful if the plants be 
not more able to get over any bad effect from autumn flowering more 
readily than they do over late potting. Autumn blooming, however, 
seems to be more a local effect as to time than anything else ; hot weather 
in August followed by damp is a very sure producer of flowers in autumn, 
and a more certain deterrent is, I believe, to be found in a wise discre¬ 
tionary treatment at that time than by any other means. 
As to matters of general treatment I have this season tried a few sur¬ 
face dressings of manure, and though I should not like to say that the 
results have proved conclusive as to benefit therefrom, I am inclined to 
think the manure has been beneficial. It only remains to say on this 
point that anyone experimenting thus must do so with extreme caution, 
owing to the slight growth made by the plants, and consequently their 
inability to throw aside the effects of an overdose. Give plenty of water 
throughout the spring and summer months is advice that needs reiterating. 
Another point worth emphasising is this : Shade from sunshine, and 
keep the plants cool night and day throughout the summer months. A 
practice in potting worth noting is to keep the plants well down in the 
soil. This advice is contrary to much that has been written thereanent, 
but nevertheless the advice is good.—B. 
SOUTH ESSEX HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S SHOW. 
June 11th. 
During twenty-nine years this Society has laboured to improve the 
horticulture of Southern Essex, and there can be no doubt that such a long 
and useful career has accomplished in a large degree the object which 
induced its foundation. Like all similar institutions, its fortune has varied, 
and sometimes the weather has rendered all the efforts of the Committee- 
unavailing ; but such mishaps have been few, and it is remarkable that for a 
number of years the weather has been exceptionally favourable on the show 
days. This has unquestionably tended greatly to insure the financial success 
of the Society. In late years another highly important attraction has been 
furnished by the liberality of the President, J. G. Barclay, Esq., who has 
not only generously permitted the Show to be held in his grounds at Knotts 
Green, but has also thrown open his charming garden to all visitors. The 
assistance this has rendered cannot be fully estimated, but in the opinion of 
many it has induced the attendance of a great°r number of persons than 
the Show itself. Much credit is due to Mr. Barclay for this act, and many- 
more gentlemen might advantageously follow such an excellent example. 
This season the Show was held on the usual site, and proved one of the 
best of recent years both in the number and quality of the exhibits, which 
filled two large marquees. The principal of the two was devoted to the 
specimen plants in competition, of which the leading features were the 
stove and greenhouse plants, the Ferns, and Orchids, the last named occu- 
