FUCHSIA AND EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY. 411 



being emasculated as soon as the buds open, and fertilised 

 with pollen from another good variety which has bright colour 

 or other qualities to infuse into the seed of the female parent. 

 The fertilisation of Fuchsias is easy to effect, as the stigma is 

 prominent, and the anthers of nearly all the species and varieties 

 furnish a copious supply of fertile pollen-grains. Many varieties, 

 indeed, produce a copious supply of seed without any artificial 

 fertilisation ; and if a house or frame full of good varieties is 

 grown, the bees or other insects, or the wind, do the work 

 of the hybridist, and often very successfully. It frequently 

 happens, however, that Fuchsia-seed is hollow or otherwise 

 defective ; but the good seed is readily known, after it is 

 separated from the pulp and dried, by its being firm or plump, 

 and of larger size than the sterile or barren seeds. When the 

 fruit are ripe, cut them open and lay the produce of each cross 

 on a clean towel or linen cloth, between the folds of which rub 

 the seeds until dry. A fine cloth is best, as the seeds are small. 

 Sow at once in pots or pans of leaf-mould and sand, placing 

 them on a gentle bottom-heat until germination takes place, 

 when they should be placed on a sunny shelf in a warm pit or 

 greenhouse until large enough to be separately potted. If well- 

 grown seeds are sown in the autumn as soon as ripe, they 

 bloom the following summer. Some prefer, however, to sow 

 in the spring, which is best, unless a heated house is at com- 

 mand. Good Fuchsia-seed saved from fine varieties is worth 

 ^"50 per ounce. Fuchsias are so easy to grow, so easy to fer- 

 tilise artificially, and the result is known so quickly, that they 

 are well adapted for trial by the amateur ; and if distinct and 

 good varieties are carefully crossed, the result is sure to give 

 some good flowers. There is yet plenty of new ground to be 

 broken up in this genus ; many of the Chilian species have not 

 been hybridised ; and the newly-introduced F. procumbens, with 

 its upright or erect flowers and slender drooping habit, fruits 

 freely, and will probably give a new race in the hands of the 

 hybridiser. We have erect-flowered Gloxinias, and let us hope 

 to see more erect-flowered varieties of Fuchsias, with large 

 flowers, since much of the beauty of the Fuchsia is lost at pre- 

 sent unless its drooping flowers are seen from below, just as 

 used to be the case with the pendent-flowered Gloxinia speciosa. 

 We have already one erect-flowered variety viz., F. erecta 

 superba (see ' Revue Hort.,' 1868, p. 407). During the past 

 ten or twelve years, great improvements have been effected 

 by Mr Banks, Mr Cannell, and other well-known raisers. 

 We have very fine forms with white corollas, others trumpet- 



