CHAP. VIIl.J 
AURICULAS. 
263 
the seifs. The beauty of the flowers depends 
upon their size, the clearness of their colours, 
and their roundness and flatness; these last 
qualities being often assisted by art: the 
anthers of the stamens should also rise above 
the pistil; as when the pistil is seen above 
the anthers, the flower is called pin-eyed, 
and is esteemed of little value by florists. 
The culture of the auricula, when it is to be 
grown as a prize-flower, demands a degree 
of care and attention that no one but a pro¬ 
fessed florist would think it worth his while 
to bestow. The great points appear to be 
to make the soil as rich as possible, only, 
however, using the cold manures, such as 
cow-dung, &c.; to let the pots be very well 
drained, by placing about an inch and a half 
deep of broken pot-shreds in each pot; and 
to keep the plants well and regularly watered. 
When the flowers expand, they are gene¬ 
rally shaded with square pieces of board, 
tin, or paste-board, supported by a stick just 
over the flower, so as to shelter it from the 
direct influence of the sun, but to admit a 
free current of air, and sufficient light. This 
precaution is said to improve the clearness 
