220 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



JIay 



quisite rose shaded to crimson with its purely 

 white corolla, it seems to us one of the most ele- 

 gant and tasteful of all the flowers of the earth. 

 The Fuschia possesses other qualities which in- 

 crease its value — it grows with but little care — will 

 strike root in water or sand with great facility. A 

 child can raise a plant as easily as a gardener, and 

 some kinds can be kept in bloom eight months out 

 of the twelve. It blossoms in the summer— but 

 careful culture will force its flowers in the winter. 

 As we write, a lovely plant of the Speciosa stands 

 before us covered with its pale waxy pink flowers, 

 with crimson corolla, hanging like jeweled tassels 

 from its numerous branches. The Fuschia is a 

 native of South America. In Brazil it grows in 

 tangled thickets, and the renowned naturalist Dar- 

 win in his "Voyage Around the World" speaks of 

 breaking through its thick branches as he roamed 

 in the woods of that country. The varieties we 

 now cultivate have been successfully hybridized 

 by the careful Florists of America, England and 

 France. Specimens with a double corolla have 

 been produced. Elm City, Queen of Whites, Giant, 

 Grand Duke and Emperor of the Fuschias are the 

 most desirable of these varieties. 



It is nearly seventy-five years since these lovely 

 plants were first brought into notice. Mr. Lee, a 

 well known florist at Greenwich, near London, 

 first cultivated them. A customer purchasing 

 plants of him said: "I saw in a window at "Wap- 

 ping a prettier flower than any you can show. 

 The flowers hung like tassels from the drooping 

 branches, their color was the richest crimson, and 

 in the centre were folded leavesof aTyrian purple 

 hue." Mr. Lee enquired the exact locality where 

 this rare "novelty" was seen, and hastened to be- 

 hold it. At a glance he knew its worth. Enter- 

 ing the house, he told its mistress that he should 

 like to purchase her window-pet. It was the gift 

 of a sailor husband— who was then across the seas 

 —and she could not part with it. Mr. Lee must 

 have it— he emptied his pockets of gold, silver and 

 coppers— amounting in all to more than eight guin- 

 eas, saying : — "All this money is yours, the plant 

 mine. I'll give you one of the first of the cuttings 

 I raise, and when your husband returns, the plant 

 will be quite as handsome as this one." 



She gave a reluctant consent — the money had a 

 potent force. Mr. Lee hastened away with his treas- 

 ure. He cut it into "joints"— the smallest sprout 

 quickly took root, they were forced in hot-beds. 

 Every effort was employed to increase the stock, 

 and in a few weeks three hundred plants were 

 growing finely ! Soon the blossoms were seen, and 

 when the first two had expanded, the pot was ex- 

 hibited in his window. A noble lady was his first 

 visitor, she was charmed with the rare flower, and 

 demanded its price. One guinea was asked and 

 received. That night the Duchess entertained her 

 friends, and the beautiful flower was much admired. 

 Eager voices enquired whence it came, and the 

 following day many visited Mr.^ee at Greenwich, 

 but only two plants were in bloom. Others were 



engaged, and before the summer closed three hun- 

 dred guineas were raised from the original eight ! 

 The variety then propagated is rarely grown now ; 

 its leaves and flowers are so insignificant when 

 seen by their cultivated sisters, but it is still a 

 favorite with us, for its fragile flowers press beau- 

 tifully, and are great acquisitions in a pressed 

 boquet or wreath. Ten species of Fuschias are 

 numbered in our "Window Garden," and all flour- 

 ish well. They bear stimulating — can be watered 

 with guano water twice a week, without frown or 

 fraction. Geraniums, Heliotropes, Fuschias, and 

 variegated leaved plants will bear strong tonics — 

 require them, to flourish well. Twice a week, they 

 can now be thoroughly wet with warm guano 

 water, one tablespoonful to one gallon of water ; 

 but Verbenas and Roses must be watered more 

 sparingly. Their tender, fibrous roots will scorch 

 more easily ; if the manure water is too often ap- 

 plied, the rose leaves will grow yellow, curl, and 

 drop, and the plant may wither away. We once 

 killed twelve fine monthly roses in this way, hence 

 this caution. Roses will be coming into full bud 

 now, and care must be taken to give them water 

 enough, yet not to drown them. Red spiders and 

 aphides are their great enemies, and if they cannot 

 be showered frequently they must be sponged. A 

 dozen sulphur matches soaked in a teacup of warm 

 WBter, or a bit of brimstone as large as a marrow- 

 fat pea, dissolved in warm water and applied with 

 a sponge to the leaves and branches, is often an 

 antidote to their attacks. They do not like the 

 smell of brimstone and it will kill them. In these 

 proportions it will not injure the p'ants, but if 

 used in larger quantities it will cause their leaves 

 to fall. 



At this season, all the plants in the cellar should 

 be brought up, and the dead leaves and branches 

 pruned cff. The earth must be well stirred up 

 with a hair-pin, and it is well after the soil is 

 thoroughly wet to run a knife around the edge of 

 the pot, and turn out the ball of earth. If there 

 are any worms, they come to the surface, and can 

 be easily removed. Angle-worms are not con- 

 ducive to the growth of plants. Roses will soon 

 put forth leaves and buds, and become a thing of 

 joy and beauty. It is a rare treat to visit green- 

 houses in this month— they are in a blaze of 

 glory, and fully repay the visiter. Such rare col- 

 oring—such beauty of form is there exhibited, 

 that the soul of a true lover of flowers bows down 

 in adoration before them ! They are more beauti- 

 ful than a picture gallery, for the Divine pencil 

 hath painted their hues— designed their graceful 

 forms, and clothed them in the beauty of Heaven. 



"There is a lesson in each flower, 

 A story in each stream and bower; 

 In ev'ry herb on which we tread 

 Are written words which, rightly read, 

 Will lead us from earth's fragrant sod, 

 To hope and holiness in Ood." 



March in her mildest mood often presents us 



with clusters of snowdrops— those heralds of the 



spring which hang their tiny bells amid the snow- 



