RAISING AND TRAINING FUCHSIAS. 



3i 



Propagation by Cuttings. 

 Short, soft, or flowerless shoots, may be rooted in less than three weeks, the spring 

 and, to a lesser extent, the autumn being the most approved times. About February 

 prune some of the rested plants, and place them in a moist, warm house. Young shoots 

 will soon be plentiful, and may either be taken off with a heel, or the tops shortened to 

 a length of about three inches, cutting cleanly below a joint, and trimming off the 

 lowest pair of leaves. Insert firmly round the sides of well-drained 4-inch or 5-inch 

 pots filled with a mixture of light, sandy loam, surfaced with sharp sand, and give a 

 gentle watering. Either plunge them in a gentle hot-bed, or keep close in a propagat- 

 ing frame, shading from bright sunshine, keeping the soil moist and the frame or 

 handlights close till rooting has taken place. Gradually inure the newly rooted plants 

 to the sun and air, and before the roots have spread much, place singly in 2\ or 3- 

 inch pots. Eeturn them to moist gentle heat ; permit no check to growth, and guard 

 against the stems hardening unduly. Before the plants become root-bound, shift into 

 5-inch pots, and still keep them growing strongly in a temperature of 50° to 60°, 

 accompanied with abundance of atmospheric moisture. 



Methods op Training. 

 When the young plants are from 5 to G inches high, it will have to be decided which 

 form of training is to be adopted. Pyramids are the most popular, but informal bushes 

 and standards also find favour. For exhibition purposes, pyramids are preferred, and 

 they are not particularly difficult to grow to a presentable size in one season. Top the 

 young plants lightly, and of the resulting side-growths select the uppermost for training 

 upright by way of a leader, bringing down the remainder to an horizontal position. 

 Top both the leader and side shoots when about 8 inches long, and soon after shift the 

 plants into 7-inch pots. Before the points of the leader and side shoots show flower, 

 again resort to topping, selecting and tying the leader to a stake as before. At this 

 stage, allowing the plants to become root-bound or neglected in watering, would have 

 the effect of causing a hardening of the growth, premature flowering being then unavoid- 

 able. Early in May the plants ought to be ready for, and receive, a shift into 9-inch 

 pots, giving the final move into the 11 -inch size from three weeks to a month later. For 

 these later shifts, a richer compost than formerly ought to be used, that consisting of 

 strong, mellow loam two parts and one part each of leaf soil and decayed manure, with 

 sharp sand, adding a 6-inch potful of bone meal to every bushel of soil being suitable. 



