OCTOBER. 237 



variety, and are obliged to make up for tlmt want by numbers of one 

 sort. Wliat we used to call the Monthly Rose in England grows 

 most rampant here, and being a shrub that seldom looks untidy, and 

 flowers so abundantly, we have some dozens of it, some of them are 

 from 8 to 10 feet high; then again, we have a Cluster Rose, pale 

 blush; and another variety of Cluster, recently obtained, named Rosa 

 Grevillia, with much deeper-coloured blossoms. We have the Cab- 

 bage Rose, and a Persian Rose resembling the Cabbage, but flowering 

 almost constantly. It is an evergreen delighting in the heat ; if the 

 weather is too cold or wet, the buds, though forward, remain unopen, 

 become weather-beaten, and at last (if deliverance does not come 

 timely to hand) rot away. We have the Yellow Rose, the Damask, 

 Red and White Moss, but the White Moss most despicably deformed 

 and ill- shaped. We have, moreover, the deep crimson Monthly Rose ; 

 and I think this completes our collection. 



The Fuchsia grows admirably here ; we have some beautiful 

 specimens of the common scarlet, which stands our winters pretty 

 well, though we are just a degree or tw^o too cold for tender plants. 

 During the months of June, July, and August, the thermometer will 

 at times go down 6° or 8° below freezing during the night. This 

 is the coldest district in the colony. Off the hills, or among the 

 hills merging on the low country, the Geranium and Fuchsia may be 

 seen flowering during the winter ; but not so with us. Here the 

 Geraniums are very apt to be quite killed if left altogether exposed 

 to the hoar frost, and the Fuchsia becomes a deciduous tree ; the 

 ripened wood being uninjured, we can get them up pretty high, at 

 least I have some in process of training which I hope to rear up 

 many feet. It is only within the last year or two I have thought of 

 counteracting the natural tendency the shrub has to grow bushy 

 and very thick from the bottom. In consequence of the winter's 

 check given to the upward growth, some of them have become 

 almost unmanageable sprawling things. Last winter, a gardener 

 advertised eight varieties of Fuchsias for sale ; early in August I 

 called, intending to get those varieties ; one was the old sort, but he 

 had seven others. I was, however, too late ; he had sold all but two 

 varieties. I got those. One of them at that season of the year was 

 flowering luxuriantly ; but I suppose it will not do so up here (on 

 the hills), unless much hardier than the others. The petals are 

 thrown quite back, or rather the sepals, towards the foot-stalk ; but 

 the stamens are too short. I must try to get the other varieties 

 next year. How I should like to get some of the new Fuchsia 

 spectabilis ! The Fuchsia is a great favourite of mine, it is so con- 

 stantly flowering. Another plant which flowers profusely all through 

 the summer is the crimson Petunia. It is biennial with us, and the 

 second year so brilliant with its crimson blossoms for weeks together, 

 as to be a striking object from the public road a quarter of a mile off^. 

 In Geraniums we are most despicable ; we have the common scarUt, 

 but not another worth looking at. Dahlias poor ; I liave one of a 

 rich colour raised from English seed, and nearly a first-rate flower ; 

 but it is not quite full enough in the eye. Some of the flowers are 



