TIIE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 22. 
lit 
hill-side plant with every conceivable anil unmention¬ 
able excrement and ordure, has alike deterred from its 
cultivation, and ruined, by canker and disease, many a 
nice collection. A riehish material must be used, but 
the sweeter, the simpler, and the better-decomposed it 
is, the greater the success. Here is one compost. Take 
one part of the two-year-old dry, rotted cow-dung, col¬ 
lected from the pastures in summer, when it is dry and 
oaky; place it in a dry shed, so that the wind whistles 
through it, and thus banishes all the worms; in the time 
specified it will be as flaky and light as gossamer almost, 
and as sweet as a nut. Add to this, two parts of rotted 
turf, from which all worms have been driven, and half a 
part of silver-sand, or other clean sand, in which iron is 
not present. If the cow-dung has come from stall-fed 
animals, a less quantity will be sufficient. Very rotten 
hotbed dung will answer equally well, if well dried 
and sweetened before use. The same may be said of 
leaf-mould. Although sounding a little of the quackery 
referred to, there is little lcaf-moukl that will heat; 
that sometimes found in the decayed trunks of willow 
trees; its very age makes it sweet. If no rotten ; 
turf is to bo had, get a little sweet, mellow loam from n 
road-side. Worms cause great injury to Auriculas, and ' 
it is a good plan to heat all the materials used, and then 
let them sweeten well afterwards. You will find it 
safest rather to under do your composts in richness. 
The roots will thus be healthy and vigorous, and you 
may communicate strength with manure-waterings; these, 
however, must consist of old cow-dung, in solution; or, 
if at all fresh.it must be mixed a long time before being 
used. All strong manures, and especially if of a hot 
nature, are dangerous, whether in the compost or as 
manure-waterings. 
Time and Mode of Potting. —If a plant has defective 
drainage, or is sickly, I would pot, or examine it at 
anytime. The best time for a general pottiug is just 
when the plants have had a short rest to recruit them¬ 
selves after flowering. Those with seed left to ripen 
must be waited longer for, and that will be apt to dis¬ 
tress them a little. Those with valuable offsets, not y r et 
begun to root, may bo waited for, a week or two. July 
may be considered a good medium time, if the plants 
are healthy and grow'ing well. If potted much earlier 
there is a danger of the flower-stems showing early in 
winter; if much later, the roots will not have occupied 
the main soil sufficiently before winter. In turning the 
plants out of the pots, all the offsets, as already men¬ 
tioned, should be removed. Most of the soil may be 
crumbled and shaken away. The main stem-root in old 
plants may be getting too long, or the base may be 
getting black and decayed; in either case, shorten back 
to where it is sound, and daub the part cut with charcoal 
dust, and also any cuts of offsets from the stem. Shorten, 
but sparingly, the longest fibres, if fresh. Remove all 
in the least sickly or decayed. In draining the pot, a semi¬ 
circular cap over the hole would be useful to exclude 
worms; instead of that, place the draining crock with 
its curved side over the hole. If there is from an inch 
to an-inch-and-a-half of drainage above, properly placed, 
the smallest uppermost, and covered with a sprinkling 
of moss, there will be no clogging of the drainage. 
Place some compost in the pot, hold the plant in it, and 
regulate the roots all over the space nicely, and shake 
the soil among them, settling it by striking the pot on 
the bench, and then firming the soil a little with the 
fingers, and especially near the collar of the plant. 
Place the pots on a raised platform, on rough coal-ashes, 
beneath the lights of the frame, set on a north-east 
aspect, water with a fine rose, and keep them rather 
close, and shaded in the morning, for a fortnight or 
three weeks. 
Summer Treatment. —As soon as fresh growth is pro¬ 
ceeding the shading may be dispensed with. More air 
may be given at first, and then the sashes be taken off 
completely ; the frame elevated on bricks, that the air 
may have free access all round the pots; let waterings 
be duly given ; the surface soil frequently stirred, decayed 
leaves removed, and slugs.and worms hunted out. If a 
layer of salt, or quick-lime, was placed below the rough 
ashes, this office of hunting would be merely a sinecure. 
If the position is at all exposed to the mid-day or after¬ 
noon sun, shading will be required in the hottest hours. 
Mild, warm rains will be beneficial, but heavy rains from 
thunderstorms, &c., must be guarded against, either by 
canvass or glass. 
Winter Treatment. —From the first to the middle of 
October is a good time for removing the plants to their 
winter quarters. We suppose that the frame is again 
the Auricula house. The position on which it is to 
stand should bo raised six or twelve inches above the 
ground level, and by grouting, or other means, the 
moisture be prevented rising from below, as well as 
worms, &c. The ground should slope out from it all 
round, and the plants be set on rough coal-ashes, the I 
frame facing the south. The frame should be set on 1 
bricks, that air may pass below as well as above, the 
sashes being left off in all fine weather. Boards, or other 
means, must be ready to shut off the air at the bottom 
of the frames in frosty weather, and during frost at all 
severe the sashes must also be shut. No rain should 
fall on the plants in winter, and, if the plants become 
dry, the foliage should not be wet, as, if long wet, mildew , 
will be sure to seize them. Nothing in the shape of a : 
yellow leaf should be twice seen. In dull, mild weather, 
all tho air possible should be given, back and front, 
without taking the glasses off, if the atmosphere is at 
all foggy. Dull, foggy weather, in December and 
January, are great enemies to contend with. Choosing 
a dry, mild day to remove part of the ashes, and replac¬ 
ing with dry and sweet, will be an advantage. In severe 
weather, when the temperature inside approaches the 
freezing point, the plants may he closed up and covered, 
without injuring them. In very bright days, with cold, 
frosty winds, it is better to shade instead of giving 
much air. When the weather is mild, in addition to 
giving air freely, the surface of the soil should be fre¬ 
quently stirred, and all green slime and moss removed. 
The pots should stand within six inches of the glass, 
and those who are not versed in protecting matters 
would find it safest to plunge the pots in the rough ashes 
in winter. The roots are more easily injured by a severe 
frost than the leaves. 
Sprung Treatment. —In February, choose a fine day to 
examine the plants, prick up the surface-soil, to throw 
off as much as you can without injuring the roots, and to 
refill with dryish rich compost, consisting of equal parts 
of old, decayed dung, sweet loam, and silver sand, using 
it in a dryish state, and pressing it firmly against the 
collar. Take this opportunity to add, or replace, fresh 
ashes, and thoroughly to clean and white-wash the 
frame inside with fresh lime. A watering will, before 
long, be wanted. The plants will require to be covered 
up at night when at all cold, and to be kept closer 
during the day in March, that the flower-stems may 
have no check, and that the pips may be not deformed, 
or discoloured. What w'ater is given after the end of 
February must be put carefully on the soil, without 
touching either the leaves, or, especially, the heart of the 
plant. As soon as the flowering period approaches, re- \ 
move tho plants individually to a north aspect, under 
hand-lights, propped up on bricks; or use a frame, and 
give air, and shelter, and shading, in April, according to 
the weather. A little manure-water will now be of great 
advantage in giving size to the flower and strength to 
the stem. At this artificial stage, sudden changes of the 
weather to cold must be guarded against by mats, or 
other protection. 
