374 FRITZ BAHR:S COMMERCIAL'FLORICULTURE 



to dry off slowly. This may 

 necessitate a little watering 

 once in awhile, just to keep the 

 soil moist. After two months or 

 so, remove the bulbs and store 

 them away in a cool, dry place 

 until they are again wanted 

 for planting. Never dig up 

 plants in Midwinter and shake 

 them out the same as you 

 would Gladioli or Onions, but 

 dry the plants off gradually 

 with the soil around them. 



FUCHSIA 



You can't ask for a more showy 

 plant than a Fuchsia when load- 

 ed down with its bell-shaped 

 flowers and numberless buds. 

 There are so many beautiful 

 varieties to select from and yet, 

 coming into flower mostly dur- 

 ing early Spring and Summer, 

 they are not such fine money 

 makers for tiie florist, after all. 



I am sure Fuchsias are among the plants which are grown by 

 quite a few florists not for what they bring in in the form of dollars, 

 but just because it doesn't seem right not to have a few of them 

 around coming into flower in Spring. Only once in awhile do we 

 sell a plant separately, but rather we make use of them in filling 

 window boxes for shady locations or use them to plant a bed or 

 border not quite sunny enough for Geraniums. Those who can get 

 plants in full bloom by Easter are bound to find a sale for them, 

 especially when from three to five plants are used in a made-up pan. 



The trailing Fuchsias are excellent for hanging baskets; in fact, 

 I don't know of anything showier; but it does require careful atten- 

 tion to keep the plants in good shape. 



Cultural Notes 



You can propagate Fuchsias almost any time, but we usually 

 take cuttings from stock plants carried in pots, about January. 

 They root freely with a little bottom heat and for best results 

 the young plants should be kept moving right along. Keep them 

 shifted, use good soil and provide drainage; they enjoy a rather 

 moist atmosphere and most varieties don't need pinching, unless 

 you want to secure more cuttings. 



Fig. 162. — Fifty Well-grown Freesias 

 on long, strong stems, the result of giving 

 the plants plenty of sp^ace in a house a little 

 below 50 deg. The bulbs were planted 

 Aug. 1 and the flowers cut Feb. 13. Mignon- 

 ette was grown between the rows for 

 Christmas 



