504 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 7, 1888. 
FLORICULTURE. 
Auriculas. 
Perhaps the best advice I can give to the younger 
Auricula growers, chilled as to their hopes under a 
long spell of slow, depressing weather, is—Don’t fidget. 
1 had almost said, Keep cool, which in any literal sense 
just now would be mere irony in weather so bitter, 
with its gleams of sunshine sliced in between showers 
of snow, much in the proportion of the meat to the 
sides of a sandwich. 
Auriculas at present are certainly a good deal behind 
time, and there has been very little growing weather at 
night—the time at which they seem to live and grow 
upon the advantages of a genial day before—while the 
means at hand to set them growing faster may become 
a strong temptation to use such resources now, under 
an irritating delay. But the only safe treatment at 
this stage is simply to prevent the plants from receiving 
any check; not so much to put heat in, as to keep cold 
out. The more gentle method of gaining this point is 
to keep the lights closed if the wind be rough and icy, 
and on bright days to close them between three and 
four o’clock in the afternoon, covering the whole of the 
glass at dusk, to lessen the radiation of natural heat. 
The plants may have all the sun that does not evidently 
distress the foliage. v 
It should not be forgotten that we are daily and 
rapidly growing richer in one of the most powerful 
and generous stimulants to plant life—the quickly 
lengthening daylight, and of this no lingering of winter 
can deprive us. Auriculas, with plenty of light, and 
protected from cutting winds and frost at night, are 
not likely to stand still because the day temperature is 
low, though they may not be able, in a late and difficult 
season, to meet a date which is well within reach 
in a good or average spring. It is wonderful to see 
what an effort the Auricula will make to be true to 
its time, and how very rapidly the rate of its growth 
increases as the flowering period draws near. In this 
respect a day in March is worth two in February, and 
a day in April worth two in March. We must largely 
trust to the impulse, not to say the conscientiousness 
of our plants. They are doing work now upon which 
the top-stone and finishing touches can be very quickly 
laid, if no check natural or otherwise befal them 
—natural by the backwardness of the season, artificial 
by being pressed forward faster than they are able 
to substantiate their progress. Late as they are now— 
so late with me that I do not think at present the 
plants here are likely to catch the London show—- 
still the new neck roots are striking out, and the 
lusty white or green foliage is ready to expand like a 
Rose when kindlier breezes blow. 
Little of what the Auricula can do would be guessed, 
by a novice, from what it does in the earlier stages of 
its spring activity ; and the impatient unbeliever, who 
shall hurry his plants on in a slow March [no pun or 
paradox !] incurs great risk, if April is rich in genial 
weather, of running the height of his bloom past the 
exhibition day. He may find himself with too much 
speed on ; and with his floral train not under control, 
may be carried ignominiously past the station. I would 
rather have Nature against me than my own Art ! 
The Auricula houses here have no hot-water pipes or 
flue, though they have the advantages of a full south 
exposure and of the back wall being built against the 
solid earth, and so impervious to frost from behind. 
If need be, the plants are so shaded as to leave the 
sunshine playing upon the back wall all day, and so 
supplying a gentle warmth all night, which is taken 
care of by strong sheets of sacking over the glass roof 
and sides. When the plants are forward enough, the 
wall is allowed no sun, and the lights are left open far 
into a fair and balmy night. 
If I much need a few plants that require a little more 
generous warmth to perfect the bloom, I may let them 
spend the last few nights in the cool Orchid-house, at 
about 55°, a temperature no higher than that of a 
pleasant evening out-of-doors. I never take them into 
the intermediate house or the still warmer Orchid 
temperature. ■ Indeed, when heat is spoken of as 
applied to Auriculas, it means, practically, a heat no 
higher than such as these plants might naturally expect 
to enj oy in a properly genial spring. When the weather 
denies them that at a critical time, why, I apologise 
for the weather, and try to make it up to them. It is, 
perhaps, at least worth mentioning this, because, from 
reading some deprecations of heat for Auriculas, it 
might be inferred that some favoured plants were 
treated to the Cattleya house, or even to an evening 
with the East Indian Orchids, or, if kitchen company 
were congenial enough, to the Cucumber frames. 
But I do not either see from theory, or find by 
practice, that a warmth equivalent to a kindly spring 
temperature is other than helpful to the Auricula when 
close upon its time of bloom in a bitter season. Con¬ 
serving of natural heat by early closing and coverings 
on cold nights is by far the best way, and a heated 
flue is by far the worst—in fact, not safe. The Auricula 
will not bear heat of any untimely or unnatural degree. 
An artificial temperature of 70° will cause the buds to 
open small, and one much over that will prevent the 
flowers from opening at all, apparently from the pollen 
being prematurely shed, and the substance of the throat 
becoming enervated. If there be a natural shade tem¬ 
perature of 65° or 70° in spring, it does not destroy the 
flowers, but they live very fast under it. Hence the 
Auricula is pre-eminently a flower of the prime of 
spring-tide, when the frosts, thaws, and frozen rains, 
in which poor Crocuses have been crystallised till they 
have looked like French sugar-plums or slices of candied 
Apricot, are over and gone, and before the hotter suns 
of May begin to bring the colour into the green cheeks 
of our Tulip buds.— F. D. Horner, Burton-in-Lonsdale, 
April 3rd, 1888. 
The Florist’s Tulip. 
I remember that the late George Glenny once wrote, 
in reference to the decline of Tulip culture in this 
country, that “ the rising generation only want to know 
a little of the nature of the flower to commence its 
culture, and as we are rapidly losing some of the 
oldest and best cultivators, it is desirable to initiate the 
young ones, that the interest of a flower that affords so 
much gratification should not flag through the falling 
off in the number of its admirers. The Pink g owers 
of Kent, on admitting a member, always clubbed 
together to set him up with a few good flowers. Let 
the Tulip growers do the same. Tulip growing, like 
eating and fighting, wants a beginning. Let the 
growers of each locality think of this, and if they can 
see a remote advantage in it, commence doing something 
at once.” Some such fillip as this is urgently required 
in reference to the Tulip. Time was when Tulip 
growers were numerous about London ; now it would 
be difficult to find one, and there is not a single 
exhibitor. I think that some of the leading northern 
growers would be quite willing to act as the Pink 
growers of Kent did, and set up a young beginner with 
a few good flowers, if any such will come forward and 
enter the ranks of the Tulip cultivators. 
The Tulip is now reaching an interesting stage. It 
may not be generally known that it is only those 
which develope a second leaf that are likely to produce 
flowers. From a single leaf no flower will come. It 
may be ever so strong but it will not produce a blossom. 
These are termed by the Tulip growers, “widows.” 
When the foliage begins to expand no pains should be 
grudged to secure it from occasional harm. Though it 
is very hardy, and will not bear coddling or any robbery 
of light and air, yet it can be seriously injured if exposed 
to hail-storms and high cutting winds, and any hurt 
to the leaf is sure to affect in some measure both the 
bloom and the future bulbs. Bright sunshine upon 
the leaves when frozen is very mischievous, and 
therefore they should rather at such times be protected 
from the sun than from the frost. Any high wind that 
can stir the leaves when stiffened by frost also does 
them great damage. If anything be wrong with the 
bulbs or their fibres, the consequences cannot be hidden 
longer than March or April, though it may be thus 
late before the mischief is noticeable. 
I have seen, in the mishaps both of others and 
myself, a bed of Tulips where scarcely a fibre had faced 
the new soil because of something obnoxious in it. 
All went apparently well until the time when the buds 
should be showing, and then the young foliage sud¬ 
denly fell sick, lost colour, and died down. The old 
bulb is able, without the aid of roots, to support leaf 
growth thus far, and so to a considerable degree ; but 
by April the time has come when it is naturally a good 
deal exhausted, and it is time for the fibres to take up 
the work, and supply a large share of food for the 
elaboration of leaves and blossom. If the fibres are 
dead all this process fails, and any strength the old 
bulb may still have will be directed towards saving the 
life of the plant by doing what is possible towards the 
formation of the new bulb, -which, by the loss of its 
natural supporters—the leaves and fibres—seems left, as 
it were, a vegetable orphan. A critical time for the 
young buds occurs when they are just at the ground 
level, enfolded in the heart of the leaves. These fre¬ 
quently hold the rain water sufficiently to surround or 
cover the buds, and in severe spring frosts they will be 
frozen up. The water can be liberated by gently 
opening the leaves, or by blowing it out with a tube, 
such as a length of small-hore brass gas-pipe, and it is 
worth while either to prevent the water becoming 
frozen or to dislodge it altogether. As the flower- 
stems rise, the greatest enemy to be feared is hail. It 
is sure to mark the foliage, and any shot that strikes 
the green bud is likely to bruise it, and leave a mark 
that will not only appear on the 'flower, but also be a 
source of weakness whereat decay of the petals will first 
and probably prematurely set in. 
I have taken the foregoing from one of the Rev. 
F. D. Horner’s admirable papers on the Tulip, and it 
comes in the form of a seasonable reminder in reference 
to this striking flower.— It. D. 
Emmerton’s Work on Florists’ Flowers. 
I think I am in a position to reply to “ R. Y’s. ” 
query in the last issue of The Gardening "World 
■anent Emmerton’s work on the Auricula. I have 
a copy of the work before me, and send you for his 
information a copy of the title page and dedication. 
The book is composed of 228 pages, with a coloured 
plate of five pips of stage Auriculas. It is a curious 
and interesting book, and is the work of a thorough 
enthusiast in the culture of the Auricula. As you 
will see by the following copy of the title page, it also 
treats on the Polyanthus, Carnation, Pink, and 
Ranunculus, but they are very minor matters com¬ 
pared to the main object of the author—the Auricula. 
I should be pleased to send you a copy of the preface if 
it would be of any interest to your readers. [If not 
too long, please do.— Ed.] I am not the owner of the 
book or would be very pleased to lend the same to your 
correspondent. 
“A Plain and Practical Treatise on the Culture and 
Management of the Auricula, Polyanthus, Carnation, 
Pink, and the Ranunculus, with full directions for 
preparing the most approved composts, raising new 
varieties from seed, &c., founded upon thirty years 
successful experience. By Isaac Emmerton, Nursery¬ 
man, Seedsman, and Florist, late of Barnet, Herts. 
Second Edition. London : Printed for the Author. 
1819. 
Dedication : “ To the Most Noble the Marchioness of 
Salisbury this small work on the Culture of the 
Auricula, Polyanthus, Carnation, Pink, and the Ran¬ 
unculus, is most humbly inscribed as a tribute of 
respect and gratitude by her obliged and most devoted 
servant, Isaac Emmerton.”— J. J. Keen, 15, Castle 
Street, Bevois Town, Southampton. 
When at the British Museum to-day, I looked up 
Emmerton’s work, inquired for in your last, and found 
it—not at all a certainty seeing that many of the 
horticultural pamphlets are not there, and especially 
those published prior to the Copyright Act. It may 
interest your inquiring correspondent if I give the title 
page entire. [Same as above.— Ed.] Printed for the 
author, and sold by Messrs. Thomas & John Thatcher, 
seedsmen and florists, 147, Fleet Street ; Mr. Westbury, 
florist, near the Elephant and Castle, Newington ; Mr. 
Bray, florist, King’s Road, Chelsea ; by the principal 
seedsmen and nurserymen ; and by Mr. Harding, 
bookseller, 36, St. James’ Street. 
The work contains only one illustration, viz., the 
frontispiece, representing the pips of five varieties of 
the Auricula. It consists of 225 pages, the first 15S of 
which are devoted to the Auricula, the remainder to 
the other flowers mentioned on the title page. The 
published price was 10s., in boards. By the list of 
subscribers at the end of the copy which I consulted it 
would seem that the first edition appeared in 1S15. 
There are catalogues of Auriculas, Polyanthus, Car¬ 
nations, and Pinks in the book, and a list of dealers 
and growers.— C. Harman Payne, South Lambeth, 
S. TV., April ith. [Mr. J. Fife, Southern Hills, 
Reading, obligingly sends us a copy of the title page of 
the first edition, which was published in 1815, as Mr. 
Harman Payne infers.-— Ed.] 
A New Anthurium. —Dr. Masters exhibited at the 
last meeting of the Scientific Committee a drawing 
of a magnificent new Anthurium, which had appeared 
accidentally with an importation of Cattleya Gas- 
kelliana in the garden of the Right. Hon. J. Cham¬ 
berlain, M.P. The heart-shaped leaves are of gigantic 
size, and the large boat-shaped spathe is of the richest 
crimson colour. Mr. Cooper (gardener to Mr. 
Chamberlain) speaks in high terms of it as a decorative 
plant, and it is proposed to call it Anthurium 
Chamberlainii. 
