70 THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. [July 



(^losophy of the phrase so common amongst gardeners, that the plant ,%) 

 A 3 died from overpotting. ^ 



/ Plants will do as well in the largest size pots as in the smallest, pro- 

 vided attention is paid to the foregoing observations; and plants may 

 be grown to a much larger size thereby, as the frequent checks which 

 plants receive by constant repottings are thereby avoided. Above 

 all things, avoid putting the plant deeper in the new pot than it was 

 in the old. The roots delight in being n^ar the surface ; so that they 

 can just keep from the light, th j y are satisfied. Let any one place a 

 piece of tile eight or ten feet from the stem of a cucumber plant, and 

 in a few weeks they will find a nest of roots under them which they 

 would not have considered possible. The same experiment might be 

 tried with a strawberry, or any other plant. A walk in any old fo- 

 rest is very interesting as showing the love of roots to be near the sur- 

 face — the whole wood will appear like a map of a thickly inhabited 

 country, all cut up by railroads. 



In repotting, if the soil to be used is rather dry, it may be pressed in 

 very firm ; if wet, put it in light, and press it when it dries; the plants 

 to be potted should be watered a few hours before the commencement 

 of the operation. My space being alreaoy exhausted I must now con- 

 clude. I had intended to add to this article a tew hints on renoyat- 

 ing old worn out specimens. With your permission, I will furnish 

 them at some other time. 



Millbrook, May 25. 1852. 



\£y~ This communication was intended for last month, but retained 

 at the Post Office, although we pay for a box. 



i + — 



On the Management of the Fuchsia. 



BY THOMAS MEEHAN. 



There are few plants more beautiful when in flower than the 

 Fuchsia. There are none more easily grown by the commonest at- 

 tention. I have always succeeded well by the following treatment. 

 If I wish for beautiful specimens of fine symmetry I choose my 

 cuttings from the strongest growing shoots — 1 prefer the ends. These 

 I take off late in the fall, before the plant is about to rest for the 

 season. The young plants are kept growing all the winter. They 

 are kept in the lightest and warmest part of the greenhouse, and are 

 potted in January; from the three inch pots, they were placed in on 

 rooting, to the five or six inch size. About March the pot will be 

 full of roots, and the plants about 15 or 18 inches high, when, shift 

 t again into the ten or twelve inch size. It is from this time that 

 ■h their most critical period of growth commences. The Red Spider c -i 

 i commences its attacks, which must be kept down — the Fuchsia suffers^ 



m?£P^ _^Q€S' 



