THE FLORISTS MANUAL 



J05 



them a number of varieties can be used; 

 one-year-old plants are always better for 

 this purpose than the spring struck 

 plants. Plants that have been wintered 

 almost dormant and bedded out in early 

 May before they are started will be 

 much surer of success than plants out 

 of a warm greenhouse. 



Thousands of fuchsias are sold in our 

 cities during April and May and used 

 up among the class of people who want 

 a few plants for their window. Plants 

 for propagating from should be selected 

 or obtained in the spring, not later than 

 May, and grown on carefully. By July 

 they should be at then best. In July 

 these plants should be plunged outside in 

 the sun, or only partial shade. They 

 will grow very little more, but will 

 ripen their wood. Leave them out of 

 doors till after the first very slight frost. 

 By that time (say middle of October) 

 the shoots will be ripe and the leaves 

 off. Bring them in and for two weeks 

 they can stand in a cool shed, or be 

 laid under a bench. 



By about November 1 shorten back the 

 lateral growths to firm, ripe wood and 

 start them in a house at 55 to 60 de 

 grees. Syringe daily. Soon you will 

 see signs of new growth, when they 

 should be shaken out and repotted in 

 fresh soil and in two or three weeks 

 you will get your first batch of cuttings, 

 and successive lots to the following Feb 

 ruary. That is as late as you can propa 

 gate fuchsias and make plants that are 

 any good that summer. Few cuttings 

 root more freely than fuchsias. With 

 the sand at 70 and the atmosphere at 

 55 you will root just five-score for every 

 100 cuttings you put in. 



Fuchsias when grown in pots want a 

 very rich soil; two parts loam, one part 

 rotten manure and one part leaf-mold 

 will grow them finely. Pot fairly firm, 

 but not as solid as you would with 

 geraniums. Fifty to 55 degrees at night 

 is about right. An abundance of water, 

 daily syringing and a shade from the 

 hottest suns in April and May is the 

 treatment. 



Most of our fuchsias are sold in 4-inch 

 and 5-inch pots. From the cutting bejd 

 to a 2% -inch and from that to a 4-inch 

 and from that to a 5-inch. With some 

 varieties (such a one was old Elm City) 

 they were allowed to go straight up and 

 the plant formed a most symmetrical 

 pyramid shape, but few of the varieties 

 will do that, and they are generally 

 pinched when a few inches high, which 

 gives them two or three leading shoots 

 and makes a more compact plant. Some 

 varieties can be stopped the second time, 

 which makes them fine little bushes. 



In selecting varieties see that they 

 are good growers and of a good habit; 

 that is everything. Kaisers of new varie 

 ties have produced some enormous double 

 flowers, both white and purple or red 

 corollas, but the plants are not good. 

 Broadly it may be said that in produc- 

 ing the double corolla you have added 

 nothing to the beauty of the fuchsia. 

 Many of the single varieties have the 

 most grace and beauty and are usually 

 the finest growers. 



Plants that are wanted for outside 



Standing Wreath of American Beauty Roses. 



beds should be wintered over in pots 

 in a very cool, light cellar or cool house 

 and given only water enough to keep 

 them from shriveling. Large specimens 

 that are wanted for summer use are also 

 wintered very cool, shortened back in 

 the spring, mulched or shifted and 

 started growing slowly. Our hot sum 

 mers are against fuchsias. 



Varieties are innumerable. Mr. E. G. 

 Hill, of Kichmond, Ind., and others im 

 port yearly all the newer varieties and 

 test their merits for our climate. 



A leading establishment describes the 

 following : 



Double Varieties. 



Cervantes, purple corolla, crimson 

 sepals. 



Phenomenal, dark plum color, great 

 size. 



Mme. Thibaut, white corolla, crimson 

 sepals. 



Molesworth, white corolla, crimson 

 sepals. 



Storm King, white corolla, scarlet 

 sepals. 



Pres. Carnot, mauve corolla, crimson 

 sepals. 



Single Varieties. 



Annie Earle, carmine corolla, white 

 sepals. 



Beacon, carmine corolla, scarlet sepals. 



Brilliant, scarlet corolla, white sepals. 



Earl of Beasonsfield, orange corolla 

 and sepals. 



Mrs. Marshall, carmine corolla, white 

 sepals. 



Speciosa, orange scarlet corolla, white 

 sepals; an old but standard variety and 

 one of the very best for use in veranda- 

 boxes or beds. 



Black Prince, corolla and sepals car 

 mine. This is a grand market variety; 

 the best of growers, fine habit, and a 

 profuse bloomer. 



