198 ON THE CULTURE OF FUCHSIAS. 



rotten leaf mould, which I work into the bottom of the hole. I 

 then select a stout woody plant, if to be liad, and turn it out of 

 the i)Ot with the ball entire, and fill up the hole with the same 

 comi^ost as used for the bottom, which will make the plant shoot 

 tolerably free the first summer. I let the plants remain out all the 

 winter without any further trouble, as all the sorts will endure the 

 cold of winter, excejiting Fuchsia arborea, which I find the tenderest 

 of the whole tribe, and I have 18 sorts ; lor although F. excorticata 

 has been considered by many as a stove plant, I have now plants 

 about five feet high, and six in circumference, which have stood out 

 two winters without the least protection. But this of course could 

 not be expected in the north of England. I differ from Mr. Shar- 

 man's mode of cutting them dowTi in the autumn. The sap then 

 being often in full circulation, it renders them more liable to be 

 injured by the frost, although they might be covered up, as the 

 wounds are continually oozing out the sap, which consequently 

 causes them to shoot weaker in the spring, if thev are not even 

 killed by the frost. I let them remain all the winter without cut- 

 ting. About the beginning of April, I cut them close down, which 

 causes them to throw up an abundance of young shoots, which, 

 when about a foot high, instead of thinning, I take some compost 

 as directed above, viz. leaf mould and sand, and lay round the 

 roots. I then bring down as manj^ of the young shoots as I think 

 jiroper, tongue them on the upper side, and peg them about three 

 inches beneath the soil, leaving about five or six shoots to run up 

 for flowering, according to the size of the plant. In about six 

 weeks, I have an abundance of well-rooted young plants, about a 

 foot high, which I take off and pot in 48-size pots, and place them 

 in a cold frame, being careful to shade them while the sun is upon 

 the frame. Thus, in about two months, I obtain a lot of fine 

 young plants, which flower through the whole summer ; saving 

 mj'^self the trouble of making hot beds, potting in 48-size pots, 

 and kcejjing them in the greenhouse all the winter, a process of 

 more than six months' attention. 



I ho23e my remai'ks will not offend S. J., as it is not my inten- 

 tion to do so. I should have made these remarks before, but it 

 did not come under my particular notice. 



A .IiaisEY Gaupexeu. 



Note. — We shall be much obliged by a contiinumce of favours from our 

 ffspected correspoiidcut.— C'ondvci or. 



