AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



31 



Fuchsia continued. 



already obtained, or for any of the species. Seeds ripen 

 freely in summer on the majority of plants, if they are 

 required. When ripe, they should be washed from the 

 pulp surrounding them, and afterwards dried, being then 

 either sown at once or kept until early the following 

 spring. 



Cultivation. Cuttings of Fuchsias, obtained from the 

 points of young growing shoots that are free from flowers, 

 root readily at any season. The best are those pro- 

 duced by old plants when started in early spring, and 

 these may be grown very rapidly the following summer. 

 If extra-sized specimens are desired, some cuttings should 

 be inserted in autumn, and the young plants kept grow- 

 ing all the winter. These will then be established in pots 

 by the time the others are put in, and will, consequently, 

 be considerably advanced. It is not impossible, under 

 favourable conditions and proper treatment, to insert 

 Fuchsia cuttings in October, and grow pyramidal plants 

 some 6ft. high to flower the following July. This is not 

 the plan usually adopted, old-established plants, under 

 good cultivation, being available for use several years in 

 succession, and are, as a rule, easier to manage and more 

 certain to succeed. The general treatment in the early 

 stages is similar at any season. The cuttings should be 

 placed in light soil, about six in a Sin. pot, and plunged 

 in a warm propagating frame. When rooted, they should 

 be potted singly and kept in a light position, to induce 

 a short-jointed sturdy growth. A temperature of about 

 GOdeg., with a rise by sun heat, is one most suitable for 

 the young plants in spring, and plenty of water should 

 be applied, with a syringing in the morning and afternoon. 

 Apart from inducing growth, this tends greatly to keep 

 down insects. Many of the best-habited varieties will 

 require but little stopping or training beyond placing a 

 stick to the leading growth, and looping the others to 

 it. Before the roots become much restricted for room, 

 they should be placed in Sin. or Gin. pots 3 in which any 

 of the plants will flower if so desired, or they may then 

 be transferred to pots of almost any ordinary size. Fuch- 

 sias will succeed if proper attention be bestowed, in 

 almost any soil; but where there is a choice, two parts 

 loam to one of dried cow-dung, or any other good ma- 

 nure, should be selected, well mixed, and used in a 

 lumpy state. Plenty of air and a slight shade are 

 necessary for those grown under glass in summer, par- 

 ticularly when flowering. Liquid manure may be used 

 with advantage so soon as the pots are filled with roots. 

 Stock plants, or any required for growing another year, 

 may be ripened outside, and stored at the approach of 

 frost in any cool dry place. These should not be re- 

 potted until new growth has commenced. Tender varie- 

 ties grown in the open air should be at least one year 

 old when planted, and they may be lifted and treated in 

 a similar way.. The hardy ones are more safe if covered 

 with a mound of ashes after being cut down for the 

 winter. Those cultivated on rafters or pillars in a green- 

 house should be planted out and allowed to grow at will, 

 except a little thinning of the growths occasionally; they 

 may be kept dry at the root in winter and pruned back 

 to a couple of eyes at the base of each shoot. 

 F. alpestris (mountain), fl. pale crimson; petals broadly 

 cuneate, obtuse, deep purple. August. I. opposite, never ter- 

 nate, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, their margins slightly revo- 

 lute and distantly sub-dentate, pubescent above and below. 

 Branches round, densely pubescent, h. 20ft. Organ Mountains, 

 1842. In its native habitat, this plant has a rambling, sub-scan- 

 dent habit, the branches being from 12ft. to 18ft. or 20ft. high. 

 (B. M. 3999.) 



F. apetala (apetalous).* fl. drooping, liin. long; calyx red; 

 lobes pale yellow ; pedicels sub-corymbose, shorter than the 

 flowers. I. alternate, petiolate, ovate, acuminated, quite entire. 

 h. 1ft. to 2ft. Peru. See Fig. 47. 



F. arborescens (tree-like), fl. rose-coloured, as are also the 

 rachides and pedicels, numerous, in copiously branched terminal 

 panicles. October to February. I. elliptic, attenuated at both 

 ends. Mexico, &c. Small tree or tall shrub. (B. M.2620.) SYNS. 

 F. paniculata and F. syringceflora (R. H. 1873, 311). 



Fuchsia continued. 



F. bacillaris (rod-branched), fl. on slender drooping pedicels, 

 springing from the copious upper and younger branchlets, and 

 thus forming a rather large leafy thyrse, or compact panicle ; 

 petals deep rose, sub-obcordate, spreading, nerved, bearing a 

 blunt mucro at the retuse apex. Summer. I. opposite or ternate, 

 lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, entire or denticulo-serrate, small, 

 nearly sessile, penninerved. Branches with reddish bark. Mexico 

 A low-growing shrub. (B. M. 4506.) 



FIG. 47. FLOWERING BRANCH OF FUCHSIA APETALA. 



F. boliviana (Bolivian).* fl. rich crimson, 2in. to 3in. long, tube 

 trumpet-shaped, h. 2ft. to 4ft. Bolivia, 1876. Of a compact 

 branching habit, and free growth. (B. H. 1876, 150.) 



F. cocclnea (scarlet), fl., petals violet, obovate and convolute ; 

 sepals scarlet, purple at the base, oblong, acute. Summer. I. 

 small, ovate, obtuse, denticulated, on short hairy petioles, downy 

 white underneath, nearly glabrous above, h. 3ft. Brazil (?). A 

 very pretty bushy plant, with slender downy branches. (B. M. 



F. corallina (coral-red). /. pendulous; corolla dark plum- 

 colour ; sepals crimson. I. of greenish-crimson tint, the under 

 side being of a dark crimson, opposite, in whorls of four or five. 

 Young stems dark red ; old ones attaining a considerable height 

 (20ft. in favourable spots in West of England) and thickness. 

 (G. C. n. s., xx. 565, under name of F. exoniensis.) 



FIG. 48. FLOWERING BRANCH OF FUCHSIA CORYMBIFLORA. 



