CULTURE OF FUCHSIAS. 
131 
apparent that soils are changed by cropping, but never exhausted. The earths 
proper — alumine, sand, lime, and oxide of iron — may be taken up, to a very small 
extent, in a state of solution in water, but they retain their qualities in the mass ; 
the soluble salts of the soil — potassa, soda, their sulphates, nitrates, and muriates, 
or ammonia and its salts — these are the substances which vanish, and must be 
renewed by manures ; and upon this subject our author has evinced great power 
and intelligence. We shall have occasion to enter upon this subject, and then will 
offer remarks on points which he has overlooked ; but at the present time we urge 
our horticultural friends to examine strictly all the earths they employ before they 
plant in them, and at every shifting. By thus investigating, a person may soon 
satisfy himself that a soil becomes replete with specific odours ; that its texture is 
changed, and its nutrimental power deteriorated, as respects the individual plant, 
while it becomes extremely congenial to another of dissimilar habit ; but that in 
every case the soil rather acquires depth and intensity of tint than the contrary — 
that it loses little in bulk, which little may be safely referred to watering and 
solidification — and therefore that the humus has suffered no loss of bulk by the 
absorbent powers of the roots. 
CULTURE OF FUCHSIAS. 
The Fuchsia is now popularly regarded as everybody's flower ; and its 
management is considered so extremely simple, that the most transparent tyro 
would deem himself insulted were his ability to cultivate it successfully called in 
question. Without wishing to disturb the equanimity of this class of readers, we 
venture to think that there are points in the treatment of the genus at present in- 
sujQ&ciently known or profited by ; and principally to throw a little light upon these, 
as well as, subordinately, to lay before the uninitiated a few general hints on the 
culture of a group of plants in which, with proper care, none need be fearful of 
failure, we here bring the subject under notice. 
Except two or three of the newer species or varieties, Fuchsias very rarely 
make the splendid figure at horticultural exhibitions which was manifest five or six 
years back ; the reason for which is, not that they have fallen in public estimation, 
or, having lost their novelty, are less frequently grown, but that cultivators have 
discovered the extraordinary beauty they attain when planted in the open border, 
or the bed of a conservatory, and have consequently abandoned the attempt to rear 
superior specimens in pots. ^ 
In speaking of this change of system, however, we miist not be supposed to mean 
that to obtain large plants is the sole object of it. This can only be the case when 
they are placed in a duly-protected border ; and even then, the greater luxuriance, 
and the increased size and profusion of the blossoms, are primarily kept in view. 
