26 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
a florist’s flower ; though the whole may be planted in borders, to 
which they give a good effect. 
The Auricula is a native of the Alps, and by much the finest 
flower in the order, and the one that admits of the greatest 
improvement by culture. It requires a rich soil, and a free, pure, 
and dry atmosphere : and it is only about the time of flow r ering 
that water is not injurious to it, and even then, water ought not to 
be allowed to stagnate about the roots or the base of the stem, 
otherwise they are liable to turn sickly, and “ damp off.” The 
Auricula requires most attention in this respect, and also in the 
compost in which it is grown, and the situations in which it is 
placed ; but still it is not fond of artificial heat, though protection 
from the frost, during the time of coming into flower, is of 
service to it; but there must be no artificial heat in this covering, 
and the plant must, at all seasons, have as much free air as 
possible. 
Its native soil and situation point out those that are best 
adapted for its health and vigorous growth, as a florist’s flower; 
but the soil, in order to obtain the full vigour of growth, and 
especially the perfection of flowering, must be richer than that in 
which the plants grow naturally. The native soil is a compost 
brought down from the more elevated parts of the mountains 
by the rains which beat strongly on the slopes, but of course do 
not stagnate there. But this soil makes short pauses, in the small 
transverse hollows, and it is in them that the compost accumulates. 
It consists of loam, of different vegetables, especially the fine 
mountain grasses, in a state of decomposition, of the droppings of 
mammalia and birds, and of sand run sharp and clean by the 
water. These materials are deposited in small quantities at a 
time ; and thus the little beds are as completely mixed as the 
best prepared artificial compost; and if nothing were required 
but healthy growth, and flowers of the natural colours—which are 
various, there could not be a better soil for the growth of Auriculas. 
But the florist’s Auricula, which is one of the most artificial of flowers, 
especially in its florets, which are artificial, not in tint merely, but 
in the character of the colours, requires an equally artificial com¬ 
post and treatment. It was first introduced about 250 years ago, 
when principles were little understood; and, though there have 
been as many nostrums for the growing of an Auricula as for the 
curing of a disease, and as a number of these have all answered the 
