76 THE BOOK OF THE GREENHOUSE 



is seen to be growing freely, and shade from bright 

 sunshine. Fuchsias delight in a house which is shut up 

 early in the afternoon and heavily syringed daily, up to 

 the time they show their flowers. Badly shaped or very 

 thin plants may have their shoots pinched at the tips 

 two or three times during the early summer, but this 

 pinching must cease about seven weeks before they are 

 expected to flower. 



To raise new plants, those who cannot command 

 strong heat early in the year, should make cuttings of 

 growing shoots without flower-buds in July or August, 

 and strike these in cutting-pots in a cold frame, moving 

 them to the greenhouse shelf when rooted, and keeping 

 them slowly growing on all winter, potting them off 

 early in spring and again later on when well rooted. 

 It will be found necessary to repot again, this time into 

 the flowering-pots, a few weeks later, as it is not 

 advisable to give the plants a large quantity of new soil 

 at one time. Pick off all flower-buds as they show, until 

 the plants are large enough for flowering, when they 

 should be given clear manure water at each alternate 

 watering and never allowed to become dry at the root. 

 If the plants are to be kept over winter, reduce the water 

 supply when they finish flowering, and, when the soil is 

 quite dry, store the plants in a frost proof shed or cellar 

 until spring. If the wood shows signs of shrivelling 

 during winter, spray it over occasionally with water but 

 keep the roots dry. About the end of March, bring 

 again to the greenhouse and prune into shape, cutting 

 away all small and unripe wood. As a general rule, it may 

 be said that the harder the plants are pruned, providing 

 the foundation of a good shape is preserved, the better 

 they will break and grow away again. For a few days 

 after pruning, give no water, and very little will be 

 needed until growth is well in progress. Fuchsias are 

 subject to many insect pests, and especially so in houses 



