HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



87 



FUG 



induced to sell it to Mr. Lee, a nurseryman, 

 who, in the course of the following summer, 

 made a profit of 300 guineas by the transaction. 

 This is said to have happened about the close 

 of the last century. It was, however, a hundred 

 years before this time that a monk named Father 

 Plumier discovered the first specimen of the 

 family, which he afterward dedicated to the 

 memory of Leonard Fuchs. This first species 

 was named Fuchsia tnphylla flore corcinea, and a 

 description of it is to be found in the works of 

 Plumier, published in 1703. With the excep- 

 tion of F. excorticata and F. procumbens, which are 

 natives of New Zealand, all the species belong 

 to the central and southern regions of America, 

 in shady, moist places, in forests, or on lofty 

 mountains of Mexico, Peru, and Chili. The 

 number of distinct species at present known is 

 more than fifty, which have been introduced 

 from time to time since the beginning of the 

 present century; but the varieties most prized 

 by florists date only from the year 1837, when 

 F. fulgens was introduced. The introduction of 

 this species, and soon afterward of F. c&ri/mbi- 

 flora, cordifolici, and sei-ratifolia, gave to horticul- 

 turists the opportunity of hybridizing these 

 long-flowered species with the globose kinds, 

 and the result has been the annual appearance 

 of varieties which, from a garden point of view, 

 have surpassed their predecessors, to be them- 

 selves eclipsed in their turn. " The cultivation of 

 the Fuchsia is quite simple. Stock plants should 

 be started in the green-house in November or 

 December, and cuttings taken off as soon as large 

 enough, which will be in ten days or two weeks. 

 In an ordinary propagating house, they will be 

 sufficiently rooted in two weeks to pot off; after 

 which the growth is rapid, if given the four 

 essential elements, viz., light, air, heat, and 

 water. They require to be re-potted often, 

 never allowing them to get pot-bound if you 

 wish large show plants. By training up the 

 leading shoot, and keeping it tied to a straight 

 stick, the plant will throw out side shoots in the 

 perfect order required for a graceful, symmetri- 



GAL 



cal outline . Plants carefully grown on in this 

 manner will, by the first of July, fill a twelve- 

 inch pot, which, if placed in a shady situation, 

 and liberally watered with liquid manure, will 

 make a plant fully six feet high by autumn, and 

 all the summer be completely covered with 

 flowers. During our hot summer months, moss 

 two inches thick, as a mulching, on top of the 

 pots, will be found to be of great advantage. 



Fumaria. Fumitory. From fumos, smoke ; re- 

 ferring to the disagreeable smell of the plant. 

 Lin.it. Dladdphia-Dirjyma. Nat. Ord. Fumaria- 

 cew. 



A genus of hardy annuals, mostly mere weeds. 

 One or two, however, are very pretty climbers, 

 ornamental, when grown along hedge-rows, for 

 their delicate foliage, and small, pinkish white 

 flowers. 



Funkia. Day Lily. Named in honor of Henry 

 Funk, a German Cryptogamist. Linn. Hexandria- 

 Monorjynia. Nat. Ord. Biliacea?. 



A handsome genus of hardy herbaceous 

 plants, with bundled fibrous roots, from Japan. 

 It is nearly allied to Hemerocallis, and some of 

 the species first introduced were included in 

 that genus, which has caused considerable con- 

 fusion in names. They are remarkable for their 

 neat habit, the fine character of their foliage, 

 and the delicious fragrance of the flowers of 

 some of the species. F. albo-marginata and F. 

 Sieboldti have beautifully variegated foliage, 

 green and white. As border plants they are 

 very showy and attractive, and to mix with cut 

 flowers for vases the foliage is invaluable. /'. 

 subcordaia, or Japonica, the well-known white 

 Day Lily, is the largest growing of the species. 

 In rich soils they will, in a short time, make 

 immense clumps, that flower freely in August. 

 This species does best in partial shade. They 

 are readily increased by division of roots, which 

 should be done in early spring. First intro- 

 duced in 1790. 



Fungi. Extensive groups of singular plants, 

 known as blights, blasts, mildews, and mush- 



Gagea. Named after Sir Thomas Gage, a botan- 

 ical amateur. Linn. Ilexandria - Monoqunia 

 Nat. Ord. LiliacetK. 



A genus of hardy little yellow-flowering bulbs, 

 allied to the Tulip. The species are natives of Eu- 

 rope, temperate Asia, and northern Africa. The 

 flowers, which are large for the size of the plant, 

 are produced in umbels on stems not more than 

 four inches high. They flower about the same 

 time as the Crocus, and should occupy similar 

 places in the garden. Propagated by offsets. 

 Introduced in 1759. 



Gaillardia. Named after M. Gaillard de Maren- 

 tonneau, a French patron of botany. Linn. Syn- 

 yenesia- Frustranea. Nat. Ord. Asieracece. 



A genus of beautiful half-hardy annuals, 

 natives of South Carolina and southward. They 

 are exceedingly showy, and well adapted for 

 garden decoration. The seed germinates slowly, 

 and in order to get plants to flower the whole 



summer it should be sown in the green-house 

 in February. The plants may be put out in the 

 open border when all danger from frost is over. 

 Cuttings may be made in the fall and grown on 

 in the green-house during the winter. G. /.'/</,- 

 ardsoni, a species of late introduction, is a hardy 

 perennial, propagated by root division. 

 Galanthus. Snow-drop. From gala, milk, and 

 antkos, flower; referring to the color of the flow- 

 ers. Linn. Hexandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 Amaryllidacea.'. 



G. nivalis, the common Snow-drop, for its 

 poetical associations as the ever-welcome har- 

 binger of spring, is universally cultivated, and 

 by potting and very gentle forcing may be 

 made an interesting ornament to the green- 

 house in mid-winter. It is perfectly hardy, 

 however. Loudon remarks: " It is rather singu- 

 lar, and also to be regretted, that no variations 

 or hybrids have been produced from ihis early 



