CHAP. VII VILLA GAEDENIXG 183 



lately dry, or the plants will not break so freely in spring. After 

 repotting, warmth and moisture are essential to induce plenty of 

 buds to l)reak, and great assistance may be rendered to ensure a 

 perfect outline by depressing a shoot in one direction, or elevating 

 one in another, so as to regulate the tiow of the sap, equalise the 

 growth, and keep the plants well balanced. To obtain large plants, 

 pot on with judgment as fast as the roots work through the new 

 soil. Fuchsias may be kept in good condition for many years, 

 but unless very large specimens are required it is hardly advisable 

 to keep the plants more than two or three years. The old plants 

 that are annually cast off will come in useful to plant in groups 

 about the grounds or in shrubberies. By picking out all the 

 bottom eyes of young vigorous plants, so as to have a foot or more 

 of clear stem, and allowing the shoots above that height to grow 

 out unstopped, falling over the edge of the pot, very handsome 

 little specimens may be obtained for a drawing-room stand, or 

 dinner-tal)le decoration ; and the flowers of Fuchsias, when the 

 growth is encouraged to fall gracefully over, drooping downwards 

 in a natural fashion, show themselves off to the best advantage. 



When the baskets are not too small, and they can he well sup- 

 plied wdth water, a good way of making the most of old jilants is 

 to cut them down. When they break, thin the shoots to half a 

 dozen or so, let them grow out as dwarf-spreading bushes, and plant 

 in baskets for suspending in the greenhouse or conservatory. 



Raising Seedlings. — Any one can do this, as the plants seed 

 freely, and those with a taste for hybridising may gather together 

 a dozen or so of the most distinct varieties. Cover the ventilators 

 over with canvas to keep out bees, and operate with the camel-hair 

 pencil, afterwards washing the seeds out from the pulp of the fruit ; 

 dry them, and sow in heat in spring. 



Varieties — Bcn^k Varieties. — Lord Falmouth, Sir W. G. Arm- 

 strong, Hercules, Wave of Life, Letty Lye, James Lye, Prince of 

 Orange, Victor Emmanuel, Pride of Woolwich, Champion of the 

 World (double), Prince Leopold (double). Sir Garnet Wolseley 

 (double). 



Lifj/d Varieties. — White Souvenir de Chiswick, Beauty of 

 Swaniey, Covent Garden White, Mrs. J. Lye, Guiding Star, Fairest 

 of the Fair, Starlight, Annie, Earl Beaconsfield, Aurora superba, 

 Kingsbiuyana, Miss Lucy Finnis, Mrs. H. Cannell. 



Begonias. — We now possess Begonias in all colours, from 

 white, yellow, and red, specially adapted for greenhouse culture, 

 and these may be utilised in summer for i)lantiug in the open air 

 in positions sheltered from cutting and boisterous winds. The 

 tuberous-rooted Begonias are of comparatively recent origin, and 



