172 THE FLORIST. 
grown plants in. first-rate/bloom, nor-is there is‘ any. cotton wool amongst 
the trusses, much. legs that. wonderful.system. of: fortifications: which 
“” lately described in the Florist... Alas !-1 fear the volunteer fever 
has seized hold of him, so. that, like the mau who surfeited: himself 
with roast pig, until at. last he saw everything ‘‘ porky,”’ and ended: by: 
marrying the pig-faced lady—the valiant member! of the L.RwV.:R. Cp 
sees nothing but duw//ets—bullets even to keep Auriculas in their places 5 
here’s martial law. with a vengeance! | Surely the “red: planet» Mars.” 
has another sin to answer for, in inspiring a, peaceful member of society” 
with such a propensity.. How the Dr. laughed: when he mentioned it! 
The form of his trusses was perfect, and is all.attained by simply using’ 
a piece of thin stick, with which he presses back the footstalks, and this 
by no means gently. I have tried it since, using one of ‘“my lady’s** 
broken netting pins, and have found it; answer admirably; so if icrede: 
experto is to be best, I can bear my testimony to this plan. it is, better 
to do it early in the morning, when, after the night’s confinement, the 
stalks are softer and more easily bent._And what, it may be asked, is 
the system of education by which such a result. is obtained? Now I 
could not be inquisitive, I-could only use my eyes, which some people 
do say are sharp.ones, gather up a hint or two that he let drop; and. 
give, as the Methodists say, ‘‘my experience.” The first thing that” 
struck me was, that the pots were of a much larger’ size, than ‘those’ 
generally used on this side of the Channel; the largest blooming plants? 
were, I should think, in pots. fully 7 inches across, and the others in” 
similar proportions. . You must give the: child plenty of food, ‘or you 
will never have the well-grown man, is the: Dr.’s declaration on’ this” 
point. Ido not, however, say that I-thoroughly agree with this’ as to” 
the child Auricula.. Blooms as large might, Ithink, be obtained in’ 
smaller pots; in other respects, Dr. Plant’s system does not’ differ” 
materially from that which I have myself adopted, and recommended 
in the Florist., At potting time they are put into.a compost not over 4 
rich_(well-rotted cow-dung, loam, and leaf-mould, one-third each, DP” 
should say was quite good enough); they are then placed under a’shed ” 
of considerable height, so that they donot get drawn, and  receivé no — 
rain, except what may be driven in through the fronti: They are 
wintered in common frames, facing the south, though a hedge at some’ 
littlesdistance prevents them. getting much ‘sun. In spring they are | 
top-dressed entirely, as far as I could see, «with well: rotted dung. 
This plan I adopt myself, and nothing can be more wonderful than the” 
development that takes place under its influence. Nota drop of liquid” 
manure is used, and nothing of a highly stimulating character is per= © 
mitted to enter into the composition of the stuff in>which they are ~ 
grown. If night-soil is used, it ought to be at least seven years old, 
was Dr. Plant’s declaration; and the ¢f was ‘said in such a manner as 
implied that he had rather not use it. “‘ But’what about the trusses 
ten inches across?” I am bound to say I saw nothing any way i 
approaching to it, nor do I think, with all due deference to those who 
made the statement, that it is possible; if it were, no wonder we” 
should want bullets to keep them in order! «True; Dr, Plant said’ his 
blooms were nothing to what they sometimes are, a fact which my 
