276 THE PHIL ADELPHIA FLORIST. [Jan'y. 



ft? INTRODUCTION OF THE FUCHSIA. £ 



O Old Lee, a nurseryman and gardener near London, well known °( 

 fifty or sixty years ago, was one day showing his variegated trea- 

 sures to a friend, who suddenly turned to him, and declared : — 



"Well, you have not a prettier flower in your collection, than I saw 

 this morning at Wapping" — "No! and pray what was this phoenix 

 like 1" — -"why, the plant was elegant, and the flowers hung in rows 

 like tassels from the pendant branches; their colour was the richest 

 crimson j in the centre a fold of deep purple," and so forth. 



Particular directions being demanded and given, Mr. Lee posted oft' 

 to Wapping, where he at once perceived that the plant was new in 

 this portion of the world. He saw and admired. Entering the house 

 he said, — "My good woman, this is a nice plant, I should like to buy 

 it." "I could not sell it for money, for it was brought me from the 

 West Indies by my husband, who has now left again, and I must keep 

 it for his sake."— "But 1 must have it." — "No, sir !"— "Here,'' 

 emptying his pocket, "here are gold, silver, copper ;" — (his stock 

 was something more than eight guineas) — "well-a-day ! but this is a 

 power of money, sure and sure." — "Tis yours, and the plant is mine . 

 and, my good dame, you shall have one of the first young ones I rear 

 to keep for your husband's sake." — "Alack, alack, !" — "You shall, I 

 say, by Jove !" 



A coach was called, in which was safely deposited our florist and 

 his seemingly dear purchase. His first work was to pull off and ut- 

 terly destroy every vestige of blossom and blossom bud ; it was divi- 

 ded into cuttings, which were forced in bark beds, and hot beds ; were 

 re-divided and sub-divided. Every effort was used to multiply the 

 plant. By the commencement of the next flowering season, Mr. Lee 

 was the delighted possessor of 300 Fuchsia plants, all giving promise 

 of blossom. The two which opened first, were removed into his show 

 house. A lady came : — 



"Why, Mr. Lee, my dear Mr. Lee, where did you get this charm- 

 ing flower V — "Hem ! 'tis a new thing, my lady — pretty, is it notT' 

 — "Pretty ! 'tis lovely. Its price ?" — "A guinea — thank your lady- 

 ship ;" and one of the two plants stood proudly in her ladyship's 

 boudoir. 



"My dear Charlotte, where did you get 1" &c, &c. — "Oh ! 'tis a 

 new thing ; I saw it at old Lee's; pretty, is it notl" — "Pretty ! 'tis 

 beautiful ! — Its price ?" — A guinea : there was another left. 



The visitor's horses smoked off to the suburb ; a third flowering 

 plant stood on the spot whence the first had been taken. The second 

 guinea was paid, and the second Fuchsia adorned the drawing room j 

 of her second ladyship. The scene was repeated as new comers saw, J? 

 j* and were attracted by the beauty of the plant. New chariots flew toGj 



;^9v _^c?s& 



