170 FUCHSIA HYBRID VARIETIES. 



All the kinds grow well, with nearly the same mode of treatment. 

 They delight in a well enriched loamy soil, made rather light with a 

 portion of sandy peat. When grown in pots, they require a liberal 

 drainage, so that a free supply of fresh water is necessary, and es- 

 sentially promotes their growth. 



Propagation. — This is very readily done by cuttings. As early in 

 the season as young shoots of three or four inches long can be had, 

 insert them firmly in sand, and whether inserted in a pot or open 

 ground with a hand-glass over them, they will strike root in the 

 course of a few weeks. As soon as rooted, they should be potted off 

 into sixty sized pots. It is better to have them rather under-potted, 

 as it is termed, than over, they much sooner get established, and an 

 early re-potting being required, greatly facilitates their growth. 



Plants are readily raised from seed. If well ripened in July or 

 early in August, it should then be sown, but if later it is better to 

 defer it till early the following spring. The pulpy berries should be 

 gradually dried, if to be retained to a spring sowing, and the seeds 

 rub readily out at the time of sowing. If sown as soon as gathered, 

 the seeds can be readily separated from the pulp by washing them 

 from the pulp, or easily separate if mixed up and rubbed in dry 

 sand, as it absorbs the moist pulp. A fine even surface of soil is 

 necessary on which to lay the seeds, which must be covered about 

 one-eighth of an inch. The pot should be placed where there is a 

 gentle moist heat The surface must never be allowed to become 

 dry till the plants are up, for if it is, when the seeds have commenced 

 vegetation they are immediatly destroyed. Seedling plants require 

 the same treatment as rooted cuttings. By cross impregnation very 

 interesting additions may be obtained, and is w r ell worthy attention. 

 By such means numerous splendid flowering kinds have recently 

 been raised. 



"When the plants are grown in pots, they always look best to be 

 grown with a single stem, and be stopped at any desired height. 

 As they produce numerous lateral shoots, a regular supply is easily 

 retained, all unnecessary to be rubbed off. By such attention an 

 uniform handsome, plant is easily obtained, and as every such lateral 

 branch produces a profusion of flowers, their pretty pendant blossoms 

 give a most peculiar interest to it, and well repay for every attention. 

 If a plant becomes too large, the branches can safely be cut back to 



