4?8 
THE GARDEN INQ WORLD 
June 16 , 1905 
Auriculas. 
— OR — 
DUSTYJAl LLER5. 
The Way to Grow these Charming Flowers. 
Years -ago, in cur granSmothers’ time, these 
old-fashioned flowers were grown in quantity 
in every villa-, cottage, and farm garden. 
Since then they have been greatly neglected, 
and many people seem to think that they are 
difficult or impossible of cultivation without 
the skill and experience of an expert. It is 
difficult to imagine how such an idea could 
have arisen unless people have been basing 
their ideas upon the high-bred florists’ 
flowers seen annually at public exhibitions in 
April. Many of those flowers, and certainly 
all of the finely-powdered ones-, are artificial 
creations that might live out of doors, but 
certainly could not look happy, as the rain 
would wash away the finely-defined zones and 
edges of meal on the flowers. 
It is quite unnecessary, however, to grow 
these highly-developed forms of the florists’ 
flower in the section known as show Auriculas. 
In all of the show Auriculas there is what is 
known as the paste, which is a zone of meal, 
farina, or powder forming a circle in the 
centre of the flower and surrounding the eye. 
There is the green-edged form or section, 
which is devoid of this paste on the edge, but 
contains it in the centre. Except to the eye 
of an expert or connoisseur, this form of 
flower would appear more curious than beau¬ 
tiful. 
Still another division contains what are 
known as self Auriculas, which contain the 
central paste, but all the rest of the flower is 
of some uniform colour, without a powdered 
edging. These are certainly, in many cases, 
very beautiful, and might be grown in villa 
gardens without any special treatment if the 
soil was at all suitable for the cultivation of 
Primulas generally. Even although the paste 
might get a little washed with rains, these 
flowers would still appear beautiful either for 
garden decoration or in the cut state, and, if 
exposed to rain, would practically be- in the 
same position as the dusty millers of thirty 
to fifty years ago. 
There is another section known as Alpine 
Auriculas, which are entirely without paste 
or powder on the flowers, and without meal 
on their leaves. Unless the varieties are 
really of delicate constitution, there is no 
reason why these should not be grown in every 
garden where any attention is given to their 
welfare. They are really sprightly and beau¬ 
tiful flowers, and take the eye of the casual 
observer more readily than do the show 
varieties proper. 
The Alpine section is characterised by 
having either a golden or a white eye, the 
former being considered the better, though 
variety is always desirable. Beyond this regu- 
larly-defined zone, we have what is known as 
the body colour, which is usually of some 
shade of black, brown, or maroon, and this 
gradually gives . place to an edging of a 
brighter colour in some shade of rose, red, 
crimson, salmon, or some other bright hue. 
The golden zone contrasting with the bright 
edge really gives these flowers a sparkling ap¬ 
pearance, and that is what catches the eye 
of those who may not be described as Auricula 
fanciers from the florists’ point of view, but 
0511 discern and admire a beautiful flower. 
Within recent years there has been a re¬ 
vived attempt at cultivating Auriculas in villa 
and cottage gardens, and these, being raised 
from Seeds, are frequently of a very non¬ 
descript character, owing to the mixture of 
badly-defined colours. Occasionally, and 
especially in good strains of seed, some beauti¬ 
ful varieties may make their appearance, and 
these, if selected and propagated by division, 
would continue their characteristics, so that 
the cultivator could at any time get together 
a good collection of really fine Auriculas. 
By saving seeds from such good strains 
other good varieties could also be obtained. 
Indeed, by weeding out the worthless ones 
from year to year as: they come into bloom 
and saving seed only from the very finest, it 
would be possible to improve the strains of 
these Auriculas, so that those with quite small 
gardens could depend upon good Auriculas 
from seed just as with any other flowers raised 
in that way. 
Presumably those who flowered a collection 
of Auriculas this year were careful to mark all 
the finer ones while still in bloom. If such 
was the case, all that is necessary now is to 
prepare a fresh bed or piece of ground for 
them by using plenty of leaf soil and even 
sand where the soil is of a very heavy nature, 
but in most garden soils the use of leaf mould 
would greatly improve the .staple for 
Auriculas. The effect of it is to increase the 
capability of the soil for holding moisture 
during June, July, and August, which are the 
most trying times for these alpine flowers., 
They would stand the heat provided the mois¬ 
ture was sufficient, and those with a garden of 
some size could even select a shady and cool 
situation facing the north for these Auriculas 1 , 
and transplant them to the beds where they 
are intended to flower about the same time as 
spring bedding is accomplished in autumn. 
After lifting the old plants, the separate 
crowns should be pulled apart by hand with 
as much roots attached to each as possible, and 
then have the ends dressed with a sharp knife. 
The plants should be inserted by means of a 
trowel about 6 in. apart in this temporary or 
reserve ground. Make them firm and water 
at once. If the sun is likely to shine upon 
them they should receive some special shading 
for a day or two until the roots begin to take 
to the fresh soil. They will make nice flower¬ 
ing plants by the end of October, with plenty 
of roots, and may be transferred to the beds 
where they are intended to flower. By pur¬ 
suing such simple means, keeping them free 
of weeds and watering in summer, no garden 
of any pretensions need be without its own 
display of Auriculas. D. W. 
Aubrietia deltoides grandiflora. 
So 1 much has been said and written to the 
disparagement of plants bearing flowers of in¬ 
different oil - washed-out colours, that there 
seems a danger of ignoring all such plants as 
bear pale, soft-tinted blooms; but while 
flowers of no real colour at all may well be 
ousted from the garden, it is liighly desirable 
that some shill be grown that are softer and 
more restful to the eye than the brighter and 
mere gorgeous flowers around. One such de¬ 
sirable plant is the Aubrietia above named, 
for while it is. not so brilliant and showy as 
some, it is of a delicate and really beautiful 
shade of lavender, just as welcome in its place 
as the more telling colorrrs of other sorts, and 
capable by contrast with them of doing jus¬ 
tice to itself and service to them bv placing 
the brighter tints in even greater prominence'. 
M e would not desire to see the day when all 
pale-coloured Aubrietias are thrust aside, and 
among them none is more worthy of preserva¬ 
tion than that above-named. 
Heather Belt. 
Plants Certificated 
AT THE TE/AELE 5H0 
By the Royal Horticultural Society. 
Orchid Committee. 
Odontoglossum loochristiense Arddarroc 
variety. 
The flowers of this splendid form are < 
large size, with wide, imbricated segment; 
The sepals have two transverse bands ( 
brown blotches on a pale yellow grounc 
The petals have one large group of blotche 
with some small ones on a white base. Th 
lip also has a very large brown blotch in fron 
of the crest with a white edge. Award c 
Merit to R. Brooman White, Esq., Arddai 
roch, Gareloehead, N.B. 
Cattleya schilleriana. 
The colours of this Cattleya are the darke- 
that have been seen in a typical C. schilleriam 
The sepals and petals are very dark brownisl 
purjfle and heavily blotched with black. Th 
lip is deep carmine, with a few white line: 
We have seen no darker or richer coloure 
flower. Award of Merit to F. Wellesley, Es< 
(gardener, Mr. W. Hopkins), Westfiel 
Common, Woking. 
Zygopetalum Ballii (No. 1.) 
The sepals of this beautiful variety ar 
lanceolate and dark crimson-purple along th 
centre, with white edges. The petals ar 
similar, but the upper half are netted wit 
white. The lip is white, with a group c 
crimson sp>ots at the base. First-class Cei 
tificate to Elijah Ashworth, Esq. (gardenei 
Mr. H. Holbrook), Harefield Hall, Wilmslon 
Cheshire. 
Cattleya citrina maxima. 
The flowers of this form are of immens 
size, of great substance, and bright lemur 
yellow, with the usual glossy surface. First 
class Certificate to the Marquis of Wavrir 
Ronsele, Ghent. 
Cattleya Mendelii Cicero. 
The sepals of this magnificent variety are c 
the palest blush or flesh. The petals are •: 
immense size, beautifully recurved, and som 
shades darker than the sepals, but still rer 
delicate. The lip has an immense blade tha 
is much crisped, curled, and waved, and o 
rich carmine-purple. Award of Merit t 
Messrs. Hugh Low and Co., Bush Hill Pail 
Middlesex. 
Bletia hyacinthina alba. 
In the bud state the flowers of this varieti 
sometimes, at least, show a faint blush Inn 
hut when expanded they are pure white, 
is almost hardy. Botanical Certificate t 
Messrs. William Cutbush and Son, Highgati 
London, N. 
Odontoglossum amabile Ixion. 
The parentage of this secondary hybrid wa 
O. harryano-crispum x crispum. The flower 
are both large and handsome, the sepals an 
petals being of rich cinnamon-brown, with 
complicated scroll-work of white lines. T1 
lip is flat, like that of 0. harryanum, with 
crimson blotch round the crest, while tl 
apex is white. First Class Certificate to ft 
Cii. Vuylsteke, Loochristi, Ghent. 
Odontoglossum lawrenceanum .Adonis. 
The parentage of this garden hybrid was ( 
triumphans x Rolfeae. The sepals are choc 
late-brown, with two yellow lines across the 
and a yellow tip. The petals are similar, bi 
there is a white area at the base with son 
blotches on it. The lip> has a large chocola 
blotch in front of the crest, and sonie spo 
round the sides of it with a creamy-white ape. 
Award of ftlerit to ftl. Ch. Vuylsteke. 
(To be continued.) 
