AND CONSERTATOEY. 145 



where tliey can receive no attention ; they never break so 

 regularly and well in the spring if they get dry during winter, 

 though it is very little water that they want for three or four 

 months in the dormant season. AVell made standards must, 

 indeed, be kept growing slowly all the winter. 



Prune the old plants towards the end of February, and stand 

 them in a peach-house which has been started a few weeks 

 before, and as soon as they begin to break take them out of 

 the pots, and remove as much of the old soil from them as 

 you can without injuring the roots, and put them into pots 

 two sizes smaller or in the same pots again, and keep them 

 well syringed from the time they are started until they begin 

 to flower. From 50° to (30° is a good heat for growing fuchsias 

 at all times, but if they are wanted to be in flower at any 

 particular time, they will stand 70° or 80°, but of course the 

 wood is much longer jointed when they are grown in a high 

 temperature. The plants should not be stopped for sis weeks to 

 two months before they are expected to be in flower. If the 

 drainage is good, they will take plenty of water when in 

 vigorous growth, and a dose of weak manure water twice a 

 week will be highly advantageous in promoting the growth 

 and production of large finely-coloured flowers. It is not 

 advisable to shade fuchsias much, though they will not stand 

 much sunshine. It is also not well to play the syringe on 

 them when they are in flower, for the splashing about of the 

 water disfigures the leaves. Any kind of liquid manure will 

 do for fuchsias, if it is not too strong. If you have to prepare 

 it for them there can be no better plan than to put fresh 

 horse droppings into a tub of soft water, and to use the 

 solution quite clear and diluted to the colour of pale ale. It 

 should be of the same temperature as the house the plants are 

 in, or even one or two degrees warmer : colder it must not be. 



10 



