FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 



71 



being single. Both forms have their admirers, but 

 we prefer the single varieties, both for decorative 

 and exhibition purposes. 



The Fuchsia is a plant of comparatively easy cul- 

 ture ; during the summer month.s many of them can be 

 grown in the open air. A few original species, 

 such as gracilis, glokosa, coccinea, and others, are 

 nearly, if not quite, hardy, and live through the 

 winter in the open air with little or no protection. 

 Indeed, we may go the length of stating that the 

 whole of those having the habit of the old coccinea, 

 gracilis, globosa, &c., are well fitted for flower 

 garden purposes, and are to be met with in many 

 old-fashioned gardens. AU the attention they 

 require ia to have the flowering wood cut away after 

 the first frost, and a heap of ashes or any such ma- 

 terial placed over the roots to exclude frost from 

 them, removing it in April, and thinning out the 

 young growing shoots in May. They grow very 

 freely at that season of the year and soon make large 

 specimens. In the South and West of England and 

 in Scotland it is not unusual to see very fine exam- 

 ples of F. gracilis, F. Eiccartoni, and others growing 

 in cottage and villa gardens, and attaining to a great 

 size. 



The ordinary culture is by no means a diffi- 

 cult process. At the same time, as in the case of 

 other flowers, much depends upon the close atten- 

 tion given to the plants when young and growing on 

 into size. Except that new varieties of the Fuchsia 

 are obtained from seed, it is propagated by means of 

 cuttings, which can be had from the young growths 

 at any season of the year, when they are about 

 three or four inches long. Propagation is mainly 

 done in early spring ; old plants are placed in a brisk 

 heat in February, when they begin to put forth 

 young growths very freely. These are taken off and 

 inserted in pans of silversand, thoroughly, moist, 

 and placed in a brisk bottom heat. In three or four 

 to six days these wiU be rooted; they can then be 

 potted singly in small pots, using a light sandy soil, 

 and when again placed in heat they soon grow into 

 good size. By keeping them shifted and growing 

 on, excellent plants can be had by the end of May. 

 This is the plan adopted in nurseries where Fuchsias 

 are largely grown. But as there are many lovers 

 of the Fuchsia who do not possess bottom heat 

 in spring, and who wish to propagate favourite 

 varieties of Fuchsias, we may recommend these to 

 place their plants in the warmest and sunniest part 

 of their green-house in spring, and as soon as the 

 young growths are four inches long, let them be 

 taken off just below a joint, inserted in light sandy 

 soil, six or eight cuttings in a pot, placed under a 

 bell-glass, and shaded from the sun when necessary. 

 In a fortnight or so these should have made roots, 



and they can then be potted off as above directed, 

 and grown on into size as fast as possible. 



The I'uohsia is a somewhat gross feeder, and as 

 soon as the plants begin to attain size they should be 

 treated to a compost with which are mingled some 

 good manm'o and leaf -soil ; and when the plants are 

 placed in pots five inches in diameter, and a good 

 soil is employed, they will flower in July, and con- 

 tinue to do so tUl November ; but the plants wiU 

 be greatly helped by the occasional employment of 

 a little weak manure-water, or by placing on the 

 surface of the soil once a fortnight or so a slight 

 dressing of Clay's fertiliser — one of the best artificial 

 manures we can recommend to the attention of 

 amateurs. During the time the young plants are 

 making growth, if the weather be bright and sunny, 

 the specimens will be greatly helped 'by syringing 

 them overhead twice a day, as while it greatly 

 assists the plants it also tends to keep the foliage 

 clean. This is a matter of great importance. If 

 green-fly be allowed to infest them they very soon 

 cease to grow robustly, and therefore it is necessary 

 this insect pest be kept under by means of syringing, 

 and fumigating with tobacco-smoke. And on no 

 account should the rapidly-developing plants be 

 allowed to become root-bound ; if this should happen 

 and watering be not attended to, the leaves wiU turn 

 yellow and fall off and the plants becopie spoiled. 

 Therefore they should be re-potted as soon as the 

 roots touch the sides of the pots, until they are 

 placed in a size large enough for them to flower in, 

 and then the closest attention should be paid to the 

 matter of watering and cleanliness. 



The ^Fuchsia requires a great deal of water when 

 growing vigorously, and must not be denied it. In 

 the summer time we have found it a good plan to 

 stand Our plants out in the open air, in some place 

 where they can be shaded from the sun at the hot- 

 test part of the day. Then in late summer, when 

 Pelargoniums, Balsams, &c., are over, they wiU make 

 a green-house very gay until the Chrysanthemums 

 show their flowers. As to the shape of the plants, 

 the pyramid style is the best that can be adopted, 

 and by means of a judicious pinching back of the 

 young shoots the cultivator can grow his plants 

 into almost any shape he pleases. The pyramid or 

 bush style is decidedly the best. 



In some parts of the country, and especially in the 

 West of England, Fuchsias are grown to a great size 

 for exhibition purposes; we have seen specimens 

 eight feet in height, the plants covered with luxu- 

 riant foliagb, and overlaying this quite a sheet of 

 fine flowers produced in large clusters. At Trow- 

 bridge, in Wilts ; at Devizes, and also at Bath, 

 as well as at other places, can these magnificent 

 plants be seen ; and to those who are accustomed to 



