the fuchsia: its history and cultivation. 149 



in obtaining a pure white one — i.e. white tube and sepals and 

 white corolla; but though I did not succeed, I was pleased 

 beyond measure when I found that so lovely a gem was being 

 sent out by Messrs. Cocker, of Aberdeen, which was named 

 " Countess of Aberdeen." No more valuable addition has been 

 made to the many thousands raised since Mr. Story raised those 

 with white corollas. Its habit is excellent, being dwarf and 

 bushy, and so noriferous that plants begin to bloom from the 

 cutting-pot ; but large plants may be had by judicious treat- 

 ment, when care is taken to shade them from bright sunshine 

 and by not exposing them too much to the external air. 

 The lovely blossoms of this Fuchsia may be produced of as pure 

 a white as it is possible to see in any white flower in cultiva- 

 tion ; but to succeed in this respect attention must be paid abso- 

 lutely to shading, &c. 



The raising of seedlings, not only of Fuchsias, but of almost 

 every decorative plant, which used to be the work of compara- 

 tively few, is now, with our numerous modern inventions and 

 appliances, within the reach, not only of the professional, but 

 also of the most humble amateur gardener. Looking back to 

 the time when heating by hot water was scarcely known, or, at 

 all events, in its infancy, the change to me is one of gigantic 

 proportions, as everyone now interested in the beautiful art of 

 horticulture is so well posted up in every branch. Seeds, once 

 so difficult to obtain, are now articles of general commerce, at 

 almost a nominal price ; and whereas glass-houses in the olden 

 time were only in the possession of the affluent and compara- 

 tively few, now you see even in the gardens of the artisan and 

 cottager perhaps more glass than used to be seen in large places 

 where professional gardeners were regularly employed. 



Although the . general cultivation of the Fuchsia is so well 

 understood, I will venture a few remarks on propagation and 

 general management ; and here I must say that the facilities for 

 propagating are now so much greater than they were fifty years 

 ago, that hundreds — aye, thousands — of cuttings can be rooted 

 in a few days, so readily can they be propagated in the year of 

 grace 1892. Contrast with this the position of those of the old 

 days, when even the propagating-houses of the nurserymen were 

 pent-up and inconveniently arranged. Many had to do their 



