WEST LONDON GARDENERS’ ASSOCIATION. 37 
dery matter on the plants ; and observed that the natural situation 
in which they are found growing on high mountains in Switzer¬ 
land, surrounded by very transparent air, and by altitude pro¬ 
tected from the influence of strong sun—all these certain circum¬ 
stances tended to perpetuate the colours. 
Mr. Me Evoy believed, if the system recommended in the con¬ 
cise and modest essay was followed, that success would be the 
consequence. Me has seen them do well exposed to the influ¬ 
ence of the sun, by which the proper juice, the grand principle 
of vegetable organization, is elaborated, aim sheltered in the shade 
to prolong the vivid colours of the flowers. He planted his 
offsets along the margin of a border, in a shady situation, closely 
compressed, where they flowered remarkably well. He saw them 
grown in vegetable mould, obtained from the decayed trunks of 
old oak and willow trees, with a small portion of well decomposed 
dung, by a gardener who always obtained the first prizes for his 
plants. As a proof of their hardihood to bear a very low 
degree of temperature with impunity, he observed, that a gen¬ 
tleman at Weymouth, in the severe winter of 1837-38, kept his 
valuable collection of Auriculas beside a south wall, covered 
with ferns, and he did not lose six plants. His practice was to 
syringe them indiscriminately ; if any became sodden to turn the 
pots on their sides ; to expose them in the winter months to all 
the sun possible, plunged in saw dust, and covered with shutters 
during the sharp and cutting winds. The system of the plant 
being changed by culture, the natural state of growth on the 
declivities of Switzerland, covered with snow, may be a useful 
hint; but would be a useless practice for an artificial and improved 
system of cultivation. He used deers’ and sheep’s dung manure 
water, as very stimulating manures produce a luxuriance of 
foliage injurious to the development of the flowers, and causing 
the premature decay of the plant. 
Mr. Bell thought a shaded situation was indispensably neces¬ 
sary for them; and that it was not of so much use to know 
what very low degree of temperature they will bear without 
injury, or the analysis of water to procure the most agreeable 
for them, as it would be to obtain practical information of the 
best method to grow them for the production of fine trusses of 
odoriferous flowers. 
Mr. Shearer saw the sorts indigenous to Scotland covered 
