THE FUCHSIA. 



THE FINER VARIETIES OF THE FUCHSIA AS WIXTER 

 FLOWERING PLANTS. 



BY EDGAR SAXDEES, GAKDENER TO J. F. KATIIBONE, ALBANY. 



It may not be generally known, or if kno^^n but little acted on, that some of our finest 

 varieties of Fuchsia form magnificent objects during the dreary months of winter, if 

 lightly prepared, and a genial atmosphere given them. 



One of the principal aims, I take it, of a gardener in this country, should be the 

 supply of an abundance of flowers during the winter months. In more temperate 

 climates, where a bunch of flowers in ordinary winters can be plucked out of doors at 

 almost any time — where evergreens, especially the broad-leaved kinds, can always be 

 enjoyed — that desire for a bunch of flowers is not felt as in a climate like this, where 

 out-of-door flowers in winter is a "case," and broad-leaved evergreens a "case" too; 

 for they have to be wrapped in a case of some kind, generally far from being beautiful. 

 The green-house is wholly inadequate, during the winter months, to supply the 

 floral gems we need ; an ordinary hot-house is the climate, where the night temper- 

 ature is seldom below 55° — more frequently 60°. "But," the first salute is, "our hot- 

 house is too much crowded ; I can not spare the room." We think difierently, and 

 will proceed to show. Any plant, the flower of which hangs beneath the foliage, 

 shows to good advantage if considerably elevated above the line of vision. It is so 

 with the Fuchsia ; give it a straight single stem of say four or five feet high, allowing 

 it to form a head at the top and no plant shows to greater perfection. The head is 

 not generally dense, but spreading, slightly drooping from the weight of flowers at the 

 point, and if placed at the back of the house, is no injur}' to any plant beneath from 

 shade, and occupies a portion of "space" usually vacant. 



Select those kinds most free of flowering and the most difficult of breaking into 

 wood regular — as S2)eciosa, Eliza Meillcz^ Snowdroj), and Sir John Falstaff^ which 

 will afibrd a good variety in color — and strike in the ordinary way in the spring. 

 Keep them in a warm, growing temperature, and the side shoots pinched back till the 

 height wished for is obtained, having gradually shifted them till they are in say 7-inch 

 pots. Pinch out the top, Avhich will induce several eyes to start, rub oft' all branches 

 and foliage below them, and plunge the plants for the remainder of the summer in the 

 open border. Keep them from making much growth or flowering while in this place 

 by an occasional stopping. Eariy in the fall take up your plants, and repot them into 

 pots two or three sizes- larger. Any time during November place them in the stove, 

 where they will begin flowering immediately, and continue without intermission all the 

 winter and spring. 



Here you can cut flowers without compunction, in any quantity, which will fre- 

 quently obviate the necessity of cutting from other i)lants flowers that will remain a 

 long time in perfection if left on the plant — a point often of considerable importance 

 to the gardener, in keeping the houses gay. 



We have now a plant of speciosa, which was a cutting last year, with a stem hard 



ioody, and two and a half inches in diameter three feet from the pot. It alone 



furnished hundreds of blossoms for cutting, beside those which have dropped, and 



VOL. V. E 2 



