178 PRACTICAL GARDENING. 



the specimens have attained, within a season or two, the 

 requisite si^e ; then they ought to have their principal shift, 

 and their cages — we can hardly help calling the wire frame- 

 work so — must he put to the pot or tub, whichever it may be, 

 and the branches trained to the outer wires instead of to 

 uprights. By keeping this frame well within the rim of the 

 pots, mth regard to size, and allowing for a growth a few 

 inches outside, the plants will soon conceal what to us is the 

 obnoxious appearance of the frame, because in many kinds of 

 plants even these shoots may be stopped back, and the laterals 

 make all their growth outside. It is at this time, when we 

 may at least either prune back irregularly, or leave the uneven 

 growth to make its own way, that a good deal of the stiffness 

 may be got rid of, and some approximation to nature be made. 

 Epacris, hovea, chorozema, rondeletia, eriostemon, and many 

 other plants which are naturally weak in their branches or 

 straggling in their growth, being assisted up to a certain point, 

 and then allowed to push naturally, may be produced much 

 better than we have seen them, even in the constrained growth 

 for exliibition, and to unobservant spectators may appear like 

 a fine natural cultivation. 



The more robust heaths, Eriostemon buxifolium, ixoras, 

 and some other hard-wooded plants, can be grown Anthout 

 much support, if not grown too fast, but if we excite them 

 too much, they also will be weakly and want some kind 

 of stay in profusion, instead of here and there an occasional 



prop. 



The fuchsia, which is a favourite exhibition plant, may be 

 grown very rapidly, but always at the expense of quality, first 

 perhaps, because prizes are offered for them in May and June, 

 whereas the earliest they ought to be shown, for their own 

 sake, is July and August, or September is better than even 

 that. We are aU anxious generally to show new plants at the 

 earliest period, and as a plant may be grown ten feet high 

 from a cutting in a single season, we constantly see the 

 varieties let out in autumn shown the next spring, much to 

 the disparagement of the variety and the exhibitor, except that 

 he gets the promised prize. The fuchsia, for style and appear- 

 ance, as well as the full development of the capabilities of a 

 variety, should be grown in a pyramidal form, and full of 

 branches. To do this effectually, the plant should not be 

 hurried. It should be strong in the main shoot, and not 



