i r
' i l
TM:Ì
' iil ii
I i
I I ' '
old tan, or leaves, as would l)o necessaryto keep th e fro st from
th e tu b e rs o f a jiotato-plaut loft in th e soil. I f th is is done,
they wil! blow well n nd e arly tb e n e x t season. B u t th e most
»•n o ral an d safest way, especially with th e valuable sorts, is to
dig u p the tuhei-8 with a p o rtio n o t tho stem attached, an d to
p la n t o r bed tlieni lu pots o r boxes among sand o r d ry inouUl,
a n d keep th em u n d e r th e stage o f a greenhouse, o r in some
dry a iry place, free from th e d rip o fw a te r, o r th e access oi
frost, till th e spring. On n large scale, th ey m ay be p itted like
potatoes, o r packed ill rulges ’--------------------- ’
s traw witli straw ;; tthh ee oobbjjeecctt bbeeiinngg to keep th em sufficiently moist
a n d p lum p to m a in ta in th e living principle, an d y e t not to rot
tliem, o r have th em destroyed by frost. Some preserve the
mo st choice sorts in boxes covered w ith very d ry sand, and
placotl in a room, th e tem p era tu re of wliich is never allowed
to fall bolow 4 0 ° o r 45°.
S u b s e c t. 6. A u ric u la . — P rim u la A u ric u la L . (J a c . A u s . 5. t. 4 1 5 .) ; P e nt. Monog . L.
and PrimulacecB B- P. O re ille d’ours, Fr.; A u rik e l, Gcr.; Beerenooren, Dutch ; O rec-
chio d ’orso, Ital.; and O re ja de oso. Span. (F ig . 899. f . represents the p la n t in its
unim proved state.)
5240. T k e a u r ic u la is a native of th e mountains of Switzerland, Austria, Sjniti, and the Caucasus, &c.
It was cultivated by Gerard in 1597, under th e name of bear’s ears, or mountain cowslips. T o show
what cultivation may perform on this plant, Professor Martyn relates, from Morant’s Colchester (1768,
p. 92.), th a t Henry Stow, a gardener near th a t place, a famous grower of auriculas, had some plants with
no less th an 133 blossoms on one stem. About a hundred years ago, Justice informs us th a t th e passion
0 great, th a t we supplied th e Dutch, who afterwards, till th e first French
for this flower in England was e,.— , , --------------------- --------------------- --------------------- --------------------- — .
ilevolutlon,Revolution, used to re -supply us with the progeny of
our own flowers. Justice was th e most enthusiastic
cultivator of th e auricula,• ’ and,’ indeed,’ ---1, of all florists’flori
flowers of his time. After him the Lancashire
growers are the next to be distinguished, and more especially Maddock, the well-known author of the
F lo rist's Dire c to ii/, originally from Warrington. T h e best collections are now to be found among the
ccoommmmeerrcciiaall ggaarrddeenneerrss nneeaarr LLoonnddoonn,, aanndd th e operative manufacturers and artisans near Manchester,
Paisley, and other large tow'ns.
5241. The va rie tie s are endless.
Th e colours of th e flower in its wild
sta te are yellow, pu rp le, a n d variegated.
G erard figures th e yellow,
pu rp le, red , scarlet, blush-coloured,
a n d b rig ........................ h t r e d , t * of ''« which ' ' ’
grew
1 tho
OTûiidon gardens in liis
Park in so n , in 1629, enumerates 20
varieties, a n d says ma n y mo re were
to be found. Rea, in 1702, has an
increased n um b e r, classed as tmrplea,
reds, yellows, a n d whites. In 1792,
th e catalogue o f J . Maddock contained
ne arly 5W named varieties, divided
iu to ligioises, selfs, or p la in one-colou
red s o r ts ; double flowers; aud
pa in ted o r variegated sorts. Tlio la tte
r only are h e ld in esteem, a n d few
collections co n tain more th an two or
th ree selfs o f th e fund.amental colours,
a n d as mau y double flowers. Double
varieties a re n o t in esteem. Hogg’s
c atalogue for 1853, contains ne arlv
200 names a rran g ed as flowers v
5242. Characteristics o f a fin e variegated auricula (fig . S
■ ' - “ Th e stem should be strong, erect, a n d elas
■r h e ig h t, th a t th e bu n ch o
899
flowers should also be strong a n d elastic, an d of a p roportional
len g th to th e size a n d q u a n tity of th e pips, which shoulil n o t
he less th a n seven in n um b e r, th a t tlie b u n ch m a y be ra th e r
ro u n d , close, an d compact. The component p a rts of th e pip
e th e tu b e (with its stamens an d a n th e r s ) ; th e e y e ; an d tbe
will be th e case i f th e diam eter o f th e tu b e be
three, a n d th e whole p ip six, o r noarl;
o f th is flower agree th a t th e pips ouglr
seldom h ap p en s; an d we m u st be coiiti
ro u n d as n o t to he w h at is te rm ed starry. T h e anth ers, or
summ its of th e stamens, o u g lit to be large, bold, an d fill tho
tu b e well, au d the tu b e should te rm in ate ra th e r above th e e y e ;
th e eye should bo very w hite, smooth, an d ro u n d , w ith o u t any
cracks, an d d istin ct from tho g ro u n d o r self-colour. T h e
grou n d -co lo u r should be bold an d rich , an d equal on every
side of th e eye, whether it be in one u n ifo rm circle, or m
b rig h t p a tch e s; i t should he d istin ct a t the eye, a n d only
b ro k en a t th e o utward p a rt in to tho ed g in g ; a fine black,
pu rp le, o r b rig h t coffee-colour, co ntrast b est w ith th e e y e ; a
ric h b lu e o r b rig h t p in k is pleasing, h u t a glowing scarlet or
deep c rimson would be mo st desirable, if weU e d ^ with a
b rig h t g ree n ; b u t th is m n st seldom be expected. T h e green
edge, o r m a rg in , is th e prin cip al cause of th e yariegated
;rance in th is flower; a n d i t should bo in proportion to
h o u t onc-half o f each. T h e d a rk e r
the ground-colour, i. e................
g rounds a re generally covered with a
white powder, which
seems necessary, as well as th e wh“ -
— • rd tlle flo v—
from th e scorching h e a t of th e si
h would s
destroy th em if th ey were exposed tc —
5245. Propagation. By rooted slips, or dividing the root for
co n tin u in g approved sorts, an d h y seed for obta in in g new
varieties. The best tim e for ta k in g off slips, o r dividing th e
ro o t, is a fte r th e p la n t h a s done flowering an d rip en in g its
seed, i f th is la st is p e rmitted. 'Ih e operation is therefore
« n e r a l ly performed in Ju ly an d th e beg in n in g of Augiist.
Emmerton says, th e Lancashire growers w ill n o t tak e off or
soli a slip before th e 5 th of A ugust, on -which day th ey begin
to execute orders for yo u n g p l a i '
l i y seed. Maddock say “ the surest an d best method
to obtain fine auricul.os from seed is to provide young, healtliy,
an d strong plants. ' sapital high-coloured sorts, po
possessing
:J1 Ol uioo>imll,, s9Ih10oUu11lOdT
- th e approacli o f bloom,
remote p a rt of th e garden, and
an d rain , when the la st is in
. -..1 2 of Barlow’s king, an d 4 of
Bu ttn n v o rth ’s Lord H o o d ; one with
2 of Barlow’s k in g an d 4 o f Kenyon’s
ringleader.
For breeding fine grass-green or clean
green-edged seedlings. Pots with six
p lan ts ill each, viz. 3 o f Barlow’s king,
3 of I’o llet’s Hig h lau d Bo y ; 5 of
admirers
b e r o u n d ; b u t this
co n ten t if th e y are so nearly
detached fi
th e re exposed
mo ileratio n ;
it by ma ts on hoops, r._ ........ „ . -
th em . In d ry weather, th ey m u st be reg u la rly watered, i
often as th ey appear to req u ire i t ; for mn ch depends on a due
atten tio n to tliis p a rticu la r p o in t.” Emme rto n is a warm
advocate for rais in g th e a u ric u la from seeds, a n d says, an y one
who will follow h is directions may be c ertain o f raising very
fine sorts. He selects th e flowers h e intends to breed from ,
according to the properties h e desires in tiie offsjiring. Thus,
h e advises to p rocure tho follo-wing sorts, sufficiently well
known to th e London an d Manchester florists, a n d to p la n t
tliem in p o ts ; six p lan ts of two sorts in each pot, v iz .: —■
Barlow’s kin g , 3 of Buckley’s jo llj
t a r ; 5 o f Barlow’s k in g , 5 of War.
ris’s P rin c e B lu ch e r; 3 of Barlow'!
3 o f Stretch’s Emperor Alcxbe
o f Bearlcss’s superb, 5 of Clrilcott’s
kin g , o
For breeding fin e choice-tinted violet-
groxind-coloured seedlings with green
edges. Pots with six p lan ts in each,
viz. 5 o f Bearless’s superb, 3 o f Fo-
deii’s v ictory; 5 of Bearless’s superb,
3 o f W arris’s P rin c e B lu ch e r; 3
1>r breeding fi-ne white-edged seedlings.
Pots with six p lants in each, viz.
5 of Schoolcy’s Mrs. Clarke, 3 of
Taylor’s in c om p ara b le ; 3 of Schoo-
ley’s Mrs. Clarke, 5 of Crompton’s
Admiral G a rd n e r; 3 of Schoolcy’s
Mrs. Clarke, 3 o f Popplewcll’s conq
u e ro r; 3 of Schooloy’s Mrs. Clarke,
3 of W ild’s black an d clear.
oaao. Jiacn o j rncse p o is ts w ve sei aj’“' u
from all o th e r au ricu la s, before the. flowers h a '
prevent accidental im p re g n a ti
au ricu la s in general a rc out Elaced on a p la tfo rm o f scoria:
avc rip en ed tlicir seeds.
5246. A simple mode is to impregnate the stigmas of one sort
w ith th e an th ers of an o th er, in Kn ig h t’s m an n er : or oven witho
u t c.istrating the female p a ren t. Nicol tried th is last mode
wltli the greatest success b o th in the Pi-imula an d Di.ànthus
genus. (Caled. Hort. Soc. Mem., vol. iii. p. 276.)
5247, The seed w ill commonly rip en in J u n e a n d J u lij, an d is
to he g a th ered In single capsules as itr ip e n s .a n d k o p tiu tiicm
till the sowing season, which is J a n u a ry o r Feb ru ary , accordin
g to Maddock; an d from th e middle of Feb ru ary to th e lOtli
o r 12tli of M arch, according to Emmerton. Maddock sows in
bo x e ', covers as lig h tly as possible, an d sets th e boxes in a h o tbed
; preserving a m oderate a n d eq u al degree of w armth both
day an d nig h t, adm ittin g fresh a ir occasionally. Tlic advantage
of th is m ode is, th a t i t forces every live g rain in to vegetation in
ab o u t throe weeks, if tlie warmth of the bed be p ro p erly kept
u p ; wlicreas, b y th e more usual mode of exposure to tho open
5248. 2'kc earth an d seed must always be k ept moderately
moist, b u t never very w e t; th e b e stm e th o d o fw a te r—
m e an so fa h ard clo th es-b ru sh .d iq pm lln to soft wator, ........ ..
h a d its ch ill tak en off by s tan d in g iii th e sun, th e lia irsld e being
quick ly tu rn ed upwards, and the h an d ru bbed b riskly over
w ill cause th e wator to fly off in an opposite direction, in j)
ticles almost as fine as d ew ; a sufticient w atering may, in this
man n er, he given in a few- minutes. I f th e surface of the earth
in th e box is inc lin in g to become mossy or mouldy, it m u s t'
stirred a ll over very carefully with a pm , ab o u t as deep as t
thickness of a shilling. At th e expiration o f th ree , four, or
most, five weeks, tho young p lants will a ll make th e ir appct-
a n co ; it th en becomes necessary to give them very gradually
more a ir, in ord er to h a rd en au d ren d e r them fit for an entire
exposure to it, which th ey wiil be able to be ar in a fo rtnight or
th re e weeks a fte n v ard s; a t which tim e th e box should be taken
when i t m ay be again removed to a cooler aspect, w here i t ___
o n ly receive th e sun till nine o’clock in th e m o rn in g ; and in
May, if th e weather is hot, i t should he placed in th e m ost cool
an d airy p a rt of tlie garden, n o t neglecting, a t a n y tim e , to keep
th e e arth moderately mois t; b u t a t th e same time preserving
i t from violent rain s whenever th ey occur. As soon as a n y of
th e plants appear w ith six leaves, such should he tak en out from
th e rest, a n d transplanted into o th e r boxes, filled with th e compost,
ah out I J in. or 2 in. a su n d e r; an d when th ey a re again
grown, so as nearly to touch each other, they m a y b e a second
tim e tran sp lan ted into la rg e r boxes, or roun&small pots, a t tho
distance of 3 or 4 in., where they should rem a in till th ey blow,
which will generally h appen th e following spring, perhaps
before th ey have acquired an y considerable size; a n d th en sueb
‘o bo possessed of m e rit should be markeil, an d the
cs destroyed. As soon as the bloom is over, such as
. . .ma. rk.ed should be tak en up. ,, an d ppllaanntteedd sseeppaarraatteellyy
in small pots, an d be tak en th e same careo f as other auriculas,
till they blow again ; a t w hich tim e th e ir respective merits au d
properties m ay he ascertained witli more accuracy. Such
weakly p lants as are n o t able to blow th e first or second year,
o u g lit nevertheless to be carefully preserved ; for amongst tliese
i t often happens th a t th e most valuable fiowers are found.
A g rea t proportion o f th e seedlings, altliough th e seed was
saved from th e best flowers, will be plain-coloured, or self,
which, unless possessed of oxcollent properties in other respects,
o r hcing sin g u larly b e autiful in th e ir colours, a re of no value,
b u t as common horder-flowcrs.
5249. Hogg, in Ills treatise, says, auricula-secd may he sown
e ith e r in pots, or in th e open air, ab o u t tlie 1st o f March, and
covered witli a hand-glass. M'lien th e plants will bear trans-
p lan tin g , he removes them into pots of the smallest size, one in
a pot. In Hogg’s Supplement, i t is recommended to m ake one
sowing early in Ja n u ary , an d th e o th e r towards the middle of
Feb ru ary, or th e beginning of March, placing th e pots in a
very gentle heat till th e seeds vegetate. (SuppL &c., p. 173.)
6250. Cornfield, an em in en t au ric u la grower, a t N orthampto
n , sows immediately after th e sceil is ripe, an d flndstliatnew
seeds make th e strongest and most h e alth y plants. Tho soil he
uses is chiefly p eat e arth , an d old rotten cow-dung ; which,
previously to using, h e heats so intensely as to destroy tile seeds
o f weeds, an d the larvæ of insects. (Gui-tî. .Mag., vol. vi. p. 426.)
5351. Soil. Tho different composts used by florists in growin
g this flower a re almost as numerous, Hogg observes, as the
florists themselves. “ Persons often take ex trao rd in ary pains,
a n d in c u r unnecessary exjiense, to injure, if not destroy, th e ir
flowers- Weak m inds are soon misled by quackery an d novelty,
h aving no sound ju d gm en t of th e ir own; an d quackery, even
in th e growing of flowers, has aa m an y followers as in any other
lino.” (Treatise, See. p. 105.)
5252. Maddock recommends, “ one h a lf rotten cow-dimg,
two years old. T h e cow-dung produced n e ar London is more
c rude au d gross th a n th a t o f th e country, occasioned by the
difference of food on which tho an imal subsists ; i t o f course
req u ire s longer prep a ra tio n an d exjKisurc to the atmosiihcro
tb a n th e latte r, b u t two years an d a h a lf will be found sufficient
for it in its grossest an d most crude state. One sixth fresh sound
e a rth , of an open tex ture. One eightli e arth of ro tten loaves.
One twelfth coarse sea o r riv e r sand. One twenty-fourth soft
decayed willow wood. One twonre-fonrth peaty o r moory
earth. One twenty-fourth ashes o fb u rn t vegetables.” This
compost is to be tlioroughly incorporated and exposed lo the
a ir in an open situation for a y e ar before it is made use of.
5253. Hogg, in his Supplement, says, “ we have of lato y ears
u sed th e following m ix tu re :— one b a rrow o f rich yellow loam,
o r fresh du g e arth , ft-om some meadow o r pasture land, or
common, w ith tho tu r f well ro tte n ; one b a rrowo f le a f mould ;
ono ditto of cow-dung, two years old a t least ; an d one peck of
riv e r sand, n o t sea sand. Fo r strong p lants intended for exh
ib itio n , add to th e same composition as a stimulant, a barrowful
of wcll-dccayed night-soil, with th e application of liquid
m a n u re before the top-dressing in February ; an d twice more
in March, b u t not oftener. A peck o f sheep-dung, with tlie
same q u a n tity of horse droppings, p u t in to a l.a rg e tub o fwater,
s tirred u p frequently, an d left to ferment a week o r two before
it is used, m ay be applied with good effect, an d with perfect
safety. À portion of lig h t sandy peat e arth m a y b e added as a
safe aud useful ing red ien t ; p a rticu la rly fo r p lants k ep t in low
d amp situations, where lig h t ro ttin g au d lig h t com postare
fo und to answer best.” (Suppl. Sec., p. 166.)
6264. i ’aarfojisays, “ b n n e d u s tisam o s te x c e lle n tin g red ien t
to m ix with au ricu la soil, because, its decomposition being
slow, its volatile alk.ali passes off slowly, whicn renders th e '
stimu lu s o f long continuance. A very small portion of lime
should be mixed wfth tlie soil, in order to decompose th e anim
a l m a tte r, an d fit i t immediately for th e use o f the plants.”
(Hort. Reg., vol. ii. p. 402.)
6255. Emmerton says, “ good compost is th e food, th e very
life, of th e au ricu la ; ” it mu st be very rich, an d properly tempered
and sweetened by th e sun, frost, an d air. His m aterials
a re goose or pigeon-dung, niglit-soil, sugar-hakers’ scum, yellow'loam,
o r loam from such lan d as will grow good crops of
wheat, and sea-sand. He does n o t nse salts o f an y kind, wiiicli
are, no doubt, supplied b y the sugar-bakcrs’ scum, th a t su b stance
being cliicfiy blooâ, limo-wafer, and oily m a tte r. He
gives various proportions, a ll of which he found successful ; in
some, night-soil an d sand are wanting, th u s : three barrowfuls
o f goose-dung, steeped in blood from bu tch ers; three barrow,
fuls of sugar-bakers’ sc um ; two barrowfuls of fine yellow lo am ;
o r, two barrowfuls of goosc-dung, steeped in blond; two b ar-
rowfuls of s c um ; two barrowfuls of n ig h t-so il; an d two b a rrowfuls
of fine yellow loam. Thesecompoats require tvvo years’
1 th e flrst, th ey are mixed up in a
1 turneil over every mo n th in :
exposed situation, so th a t every p a rt mlaayy bbee tthl o ro u g h ly frozen
in winter, a n d lieated b y th e sun an d penetrated by th e a ir in
summer. These composts, h e says, he used with very g reat
success, th ough th ey contained no sand. He n ex t introduces
th a t material thus : four barrowfuls of loam, steejied in nig h t,
soli and u rin e ; two barrowfuls of goosc-dung, mixcil with
blood ; two barrowfuls of sugar-bakers’ scum ; an d two pecks
of sea-sand : or, two barrowfuls of night-soil ; one barrowful of
cow-dung ; one barrowful of flnc yellow loam ; an d one peck of
sea-sand: or, two barrowfuls of night-soil ; two barrowful.« of
goose-dung; two barrowfuls of cow-dung; two barrowfuls of
fine yellow loam ; an d two pecks of sea-sand. Great stress is
la id on the blood, which, “ wlien ro tted down with o th e r manu
re, does wonders beyond all id e a ;” b u t unless th e above
composts are “ stirred an d tu rn ed over frequently, tlioy will poison
an d r a th e r kiU a n d d e stro y y o u i plants, th an nourish them.
iRnegnbdreìrie’'d'" -s-w’ eet and wholesome, they w illb c th-e mrt ea* n• s of. t.h. row-
vigour
ing b rillian t colours into th e pips or petals, an d of giving life anil
vigour to th e plant«, as mu ch as fine old p o rt or rich Maileira
w•'-ln-c- d-o-es -to- t—h ew .h um an constitu. tion.” (Cult, VoIf tlhlien OATIuTIrI iIcCuUlKal.
&c.,.p. 77.) I t i s ju s t ly observed b yMr. Hogg, th a t “ there is
always g rea t danger in resorting to poworfulmanures.” “ We
no longer,” he says, “ have recourse to sugar-bakers’ sAra
blood, pigeons’ dung, & c .; for unless the greatest caution be
tak en , there is more h a rm th an good to be apprehended from
the uso of them. Thoso florists who use such stimu la tin g composts,
may produce strong flowers for one year, bu t they never
can depend on th e same pianta for the succeeding year. By
over-stimulating, th e plants a re too often loft in a state of ex-
h a ^ t i o m if not of p rem a tu re an d g rad u a l decay.” (Supp. Sec.,
p. 165.^
5250. T h e l a te P .X ’erenj/, Hogg observes, “ g a rdener by pro-
tcssion, was, perhaps, one o f tho most successful an d eminent
growers of auriculas in h is day, and who won as man y prizes as
most men, d u rin g the courseof ten or twelve years th a t holivcd
a t Tottenclge, in Middlesex. Ho c ertainly had all tlie benefit
of air, situation, an d soil, wliioh, coupled with his fondness for
th e flower, a n d his skilful trea tm en t of it (to say n o th in g of
his being almost constantly in th e gard en ), gave h im a d ec id e d
superiority over m a n y o f his competitors, an d insured, as It
were, his chance of success. He always kept by him a qu an tity
of sound staple loam, o f ra th e r a sandy n a tu r e ; th is h e sweetened,
b y freq u en t tu rn in g . His n ex t p rincipal in gredient -was
- r O —.... hay-Iitter, obtainI—e\dU ,f,ro—lmlL tIhIIe,- asuhUeMds» uIOsTMe7dU tlOo lneiir
¿ r l y lambs, well rotted, by being tu rn ed , m ix ed an d fermented
in the same man n er as tlic g a rdener does horse-dung and straw-
h tter. His proportions were, one tliird lo am ; two th irds shcen-
d ung an d lia y -litte r; one ten th coarse sand, Tliosc formed his
compost for growing th em in ; b u t he had anotlier of a richer
q uality, if I m ay so te rm it, with which he used to top dress
his plants, an d th is he would do sometimes twice in tlie year.
V, hen they killed any sheep, ho always reserved the blood, and
mixed It w ith the d u n g of poultry. These two ingredients he
aiJdert to Ins loam and sheep-dung, nnd tlicse constituted his
compost for surface-dressing.” {Treatise, &c„ p. 104.) Th is
d u n g an d cow-dungindisoriniinately, sometimes mixed, sometimes
a p a r t; th e d u n g of p o u ltry most fre q u e n tly ; an d old
decayed willow wood, when they can get i t ; ivith tlie mould
cast up by m o le s; tak iiig c are th a t the same he properly mixed,
sweetened, au d pulverised. In winter, they throw It u p in nar-
iw ridges, an d wlien th e top of it is frozen, they take it off, and
■ continue to do, til l the whole of it has been frozen.”
6258. duslice gives th e cu ltu re of the au ric u la in a “ liitberto
unattonipted m anner, an d which, altliougli rep u g n an t to the
rules given by o th e r cultivators of auriculas, I shall iiere insert,
as th e only tru e m ethod to procure a fine blow of auriculas,
such as r had ihis la st spring (1 7 6 2 ); which, to th e sight
of numhers of spectators, exceeded all tlie blows of an y au riculas
over seen m Scotland, in E ngland, o r in E u ro p e ; whicli
composed of tho most capital flowers in Englan d an d
Holland, an d some very fine new seedlings of m y own rair-
mg.” Tlie soil he recommends is, one h a lf free fresli loam,
from u n d e r an old p a s tu re ; one halfcomposed o fth e following
parts, ñ z . threo p a rts tliree-yoar-old cow-dung, a n d one iiart
sea or riv er sa n d ; no horse-dung to he used, an d th e ingro-
dioiits n o t to be mixed together till a few days before being
made use o f: “ for otherwise, when th ey a rc mixed for some
time, they breed vermin an d worms.” lie adds, “ i f you use
rt..iirt...i — .1. OT- .1 I* -b e done in tho proportion only of
fullers’ e arth to them, i
an eig h th p a rt, an d a t no
i f used in autumn , i t is p re ju d ic ia l;
in spring, it m u st be well dissolved in warm water before being
used, a n d th en use no saud.” (B r il. Gard. Direct., art.
' icula.)
e b u t 111 the spring d ressing; for
anil even when i t is used
tl dlssfl' • •
59. Curtis, in a n o te to the la st edition of Maddock’s work,
.. “ we have seen th e strongest auriculas produced from the
following in g red ien ts: two th ird s of tho ro tten dung from old
hotbeds reduced to fine m o u ld ; one th ird contauiing equal
p a rts of coarse sand a n d p c a to r bog earth, 8ucli!U<is u swlin tiie
cu ltu re o f heaths, mixed well togetlier by sifting o r screening,
an d suffered to be well a ired by freq u en t turnings d u rin g tho
frosts of w inter.” (Florist's Direct., p. 161.)
5260. Henderson, o f Delvlnc, uses two parts o f very rotten
d ung from oldhotbeds, one p a rt o f vegetable mould, one q u a rte r
o f riv er sand, mix in g the ivhole, and exposing it for a winter.
(Caled. Hort. Soc. Mem., vol. li. p. 230.)
5261. The compost in most general use among auricula-
growei-s is, of fresh loamy soil an d perfectly decomposed cow-
dung, equal p a rts of each, adding one tenth of th e m ix tu re of
sea or riv er sand. Some use leaf-moulil instead of cow-dung.
Tlic whole incorporated an d p rcp a red fo r one summer an d one
winter in the usual manner.
5262. Manner o f grou-ing. The common sorts a re g row n in
beds o r in iningleil b o rd ers; b u t all tho fine llowers in pots.
Maddock rccomini'uds pots of 6J in. in te rio r oiametor a t top,
7 in. deep, and the in te rio r bottom diameter 4 in., for full-grown