594 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



Aovr. There are several species, and numerous 

 hybrids and varieties. Tlie scarlet fuchsia ff. 

 coccinea), has the leayes in threes, and serrated; 

 the peduncles axillary, and one-flowered. F. 

 gracilis has the branches slightly downy, the 

 leaves opposite and smooth, the flowers much 

 longer than the leaves. F. excorticata has the 

 leaves ovate, and placed alternately. The box- 

 thorn leaved (f. fycioides), has ovate, lanceolate 

 leaves, generally iir threes, and the sepals reflexed. 

 All are easily propagated by cuttings. These 

 are to be first raised in the green-house, and 

 then transferred into pots, where they may be 

 kept for two or three years, till they have 

 acquired the size of shrubs, when they may be 

 turned out into the open air at the commence- 

 ment of summer, and removed again to the 

 green-house in winter. One of the hardiest 

 species (f. virgata), will thrive well in the open 

 air, in a warm sheltered exposure. 



When fuchsias attain the height of four or 

 five feet, they become splendid plants, and afibrd 

 a succession of beautiful flowers. The flowers 

 of the longiflora are remarkable for their great 

 length. 



Geraniums, or Pelahgoniums. Natural family 

 geraniace<E; monodelphia, decandria, of Linnseus. 

 This genus obtains its name from the Greek 

 word signifying crane's hill, the seed capsule, with 

 its beak, bearing a resemblance to the long bill 

 of the crane. Many of the species are European 

 plants, and are mere weeds; most of the green- 

 house species are fi'om the Cape of Good Hope. 

 There is great diversity in the form and habits 

 of the different species. Some have tuberous 

 roots; while others are devoid of tubers. Some 

 are devoid of stem, or have an herbaceous or 

 half shrubby stem; the leaves are simple, pin- 

 nate, or decompound in the stemless kinds; or 

 entire, toothed, lobed, or pubescent in the shmbby 

 species; and generally odorous, especially when 

 pressed between the fingers. In the majority 

 of geraniums the flowers are odourless, especially 

 those of the more showy kinds; while some of 

 the simpler, and more unpretending blossoms, 

 diffuse a grateful odour, especially during night. 

 The most beautiful flowering geraniums, or 

 pelargoniums, as they are sometimes called, are 

 hybrids, which have been obtained by crossing 

 different species, as first practised by Sweet. The 

 flowers are of various colours, white, blueish 

 pink, purple, orange, scarlet, crimson, all of 

 various shades and depths. 



Geraniums are usually propagated by cuttings; 

 but all the kinds ripen their seeds in this country, 

 and these, when sown, frequently produce new 

 varieties. 



Most of the plants usually flower in spring, or 

 early in summer; and if the seed is ripe by mid- 

 summer, it may be immediately sown in pots 

 of light rich earth. These pots are to be placed 



in a gentle hot-bed, and shaded. The plants will 

 soon make their appearance, and should be trans- 

 planted singly into pots as soon as they show 

 two proper leaves. If kept under a frame, 

 several will flower in the following spring and 

 summer, and the remainder in the following 

 season. 



The shrubby species grow most readily by 

 cuttings. These should be taken off at a joint 

 where the wood is beginning to ripen, laid in 

 the shade for an hour or two till the wound 

 heals, and then planted in sandy loam, and 

 placed in a gentle heat. The hardier sorts will, 

 however, strike freely in the open air in any 

 shady situation, without being covered with a 

 glass. Cuttings of the roots of many species 

 also strike readily; and the fibrous rooted sorts 

 may be multiplied by simply dividing the roots. 

 From the latter end of March till the middle or 

 end of July, cuttings of all the common kinds 

 may be put into the ground with success. 



The soil best suited for geraniums is a rich 

 light mould, equal parts of sandy loam, and well 

 rotted dung, in a little leaf mould and sand. As 

 they are rapid growers, the pots require to be 

 examined in spring and autumn, and the roots 

 and top reduced, or the plant shifted info a larger 

 pot. In general, the shrubbj' sorts should be 

 kept low and bushy, by pruning; for when 

 they are allowed to grow tall and straggling, 

 they are very unsightly, and besides, do not 

 throw out so many flowers. Some of the her- 

 baceous sorts may be considered as frame plants, 

 but the greater number require the green-house; 

 and some of the very succulent sorts do best in 

 the Arf stove. 



When an extensive collection of geraniums 

 is kept, it is recommended to have a house 

 entirely devoted to their culture, with a roof so 

 constmcted as to admit as much light as possible; 

 the stage over which the plants are placed should 

 also be near the glass, and there should be ample 

 means for giving air and heat. Most of the spe- 

 cies require rather more heat during winter 

 than evergreen woody exotics from the same 

 climates; otherwise they are apt to lose their 

 leaves, and to rot at the points of the shoots. 

 To prevent this, heat should be given in the day 

 time, and air admitted; and whenever any leaf 

 begins to decaj-, it should be removfed. The 

 hardier plants may be placed in the open air 

 during the summer, taking care to remove them 

 during heavy rains, which is apt to destroy their 

 flowers. 



The finer and more delicate sorts should, how- 

 ever, be kept in the house, allowing them free 

 air both day and night. In warm and sheltered 

 situations it is usual to plant out some of the 

 hardier species into the open borders, in April 

 and May. These will grow vigorously, and 

 afford a profusion of flowers until the commence- 



