1300 



FUCHSIA 



FUCHSIA 



the forms of F. magellanica are commonly spoken of as 

 species, so much do they differ from the type. As early 

 as 1848, 541 species and varieties mostly mere gar- 

 den forms were known and named (Porcher, "La 

 Fuchsia, son Histoire et sa Culture"). The fuchsia 

 reached the height of its popularity about the middle 



1600. Fuchsia magellanica var. Riccartonii. 



of the past century. At present it is prized mostly for 

 window-gardening and conservatory decoration. The 

 garden forms of the present day are with difficulty 

 referred to specific types. The long-tubed or so-called 

 speciosa forms are probably hybrids of F. magellanica 

 and F.fulgens (Figs. 1603, 1604). Others are evidently 

 direct varieties from the stem types. There are many 

 full double forms. For the history and the garden 

 botany of the fuchsia, see Hemsley in the Garden 

 9:284 and 11 :70; also Watson, the Garden 55:74. 



In mild climates, fuchsias make excellent outdoor 

 shrubs, some of them withstanding frost. 

 These are of the F. magellanica group. They 

 are familiar to travelers in Ireland, and they 

 may be seen as far north as the Shetland 

 Islands. In California, many of the fuchsias 

 are excellent and popular subjects for plant- 

 ing in the open. Under glass, forms of F. 

 magellanica may be grown into large rafter 

 shrubs, where they produce great abundance 

 of bloom. 



Fuchsias are among the most ornamental 

 and popular of the cool greenhouse flowering 

 plants. They may also be used in summer as 

 bedding plants, and they are among the very 

 few flowering plants that will bloom in the 

 shade. If fair-sized specimen plants in 10- 

 or 12-inch pots are desired, the best time to 

 root them is the end of August. The best 

 cuttings are secured from suckers that start 

 from the base of the plants that are bedded 

 out. The cutting should be 3 inches in length, 

 and if the intention is to grow large speci- 

 mens, pot them singly in 2-inch pots, in three 

 parts sand, one part loam, and another of 

 leaf-mold. Place the cuttings when potted in 

 a shady position in a temperature of not less 

 than 60 at night. When the very small 

 plants are well rooted, shift them along into 

 a pot 2 inches larger, using this time a com- 

 post of equal parts of loam, leaf-mold, and 

 sand and add a third part of well-rotted 

 manure. In this size of pot, the shoot will 

 have made four or five joints, and should 

 now be pinched to encourage side breaks. 

 The plant, where it is stopped, will start 

 into two breaks, and the strongest should be 

 taken for a leader; pinch the weaker one 

 when two leaves are well formed. Strict 

 attention from now on should be paid to keep 

 the plants in good shape. The side shoots 

 must be kept in bounds, so that the sym- 

 metry of the plant is preserved, pinching the 



stronger ones hard and allowing the weaker to grow a 

 little longer so that they gain more vigor. The leader 

 may be allowed to make six pairs of leaves, and then 

 be stopped, always choosing the strongest breaks to 

 increase the height of the plant. Potting should be 

 strictly attended to, never allowing the plant to form a 

 mat of roots around the ball before it 

 gets a shift into a larger pot. The 

 potting material for all future pottings 

 may be composed of two parts good 

 fibrous loam, with an equal amount of 

 well-rotted horse-manure, one part flaky 

 leaves, and one part sharp sand. The 

 whole should be as rough as can be 

 conveniently used when working it 

 equally around the ball of the plant, 

 in the potting operation. It is neces- 

 sary to have a good straight stake 

 down the center of the plant to support it in an up- 

 right position. When the plant is well established 

 in the pot in which it is desired to flower it, manure 

 waterings will be in order, as these plants are gross 

 feeders when in active growth. Green cow-manure, 

 fertilizers, and soot secured from soft coals agree well 

 with fuchsias. The amount to be used is an ordinary 

 handful to two and a half gallons of water. Water 

 twice in between with clean water. Give the last pinch 

 to the plants about six weeks before they are desired 

 to be in full flower. For bedding-out purposes, cut- 

 tings may be rooted in the spring, and grown on into 

 5- or 6-inch pots. Old plants may be kept through the 

 winter, in a cool light pit, from which frost is kept. 

 Keep them rather dry during October, November, and 

 December, only giving enough water to maintain the 

 wood plump. In January they may 

 be removed to a temperature of 50 

 by night, allowing a rise of 10 or 

 15 during the day. This tempera- 

 ture, by the way, is most suitable 

 for fuchsias after they are rooted 

 until they come in flower. After it 

 is seen where all the live eyes are 

 on the old plants, trim them into 

 shape, and remove all the dead 

 wood. Turn them out of the pots, 

 and remove all the loose dirt from 

 the ball with a hose with a gentle 

 pressure of water on it. They may 

 be potted in the same size of pot, 

 and when well rooted in that, give 

 them a shift two sizes larger. Pinch 

 the plants two or three times during 

 the winter, and one will be rewarded 

 with better plants the second year 

 than the first. If well attended to 

 every year, fuchsias may be kept for 

 many years, attaining an enormous 

 size. Fumigate with hydrocyanic 

 gas, during winter, and that, with 

 syringings on all bright days, until 

 they come in flower, will keep down 

 insect pests. (George F. Stewart.) 



INDEX. 



1601. Fuchsia magellanica var. 

 discolor. (XM) 



alba, 9. 



arborescens, 10. 

 boliviana, 8. 

 coccinea, 1, 3. 

 conica, 1. 

 corallina, 1. 

 corymbiflora, 9. 

 decussata, 1. 

 discolor, 1. 

 elegans, 1. 

 exoniensis, 2. 

 fulgens, 5. 

 globosa, 1. 

 gracilis, 1. 

 hybrida, 2. 



Lowei, 1. 

 macrostema, 1. 

 macrostemma, 1. 

 magellanica, 1. 

 pendulxflora, 5. 

 procumbens, 11. 

 Riccartonii, 1. 

 speciosa, 2. 

 splendens, 4. 

 syringseflora, 10. 

 tenella, 1. 

 Thompsonii, 1. 

 triphylla, 6. 

 variegata, 1. 

 venusta, 7. 



