November, 1890. 
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198 
ORCH RRD 
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AND 
GARDE N 
The Fuchsia. 
As a pot plant foi summer blooming the 
Fuchsia cannot be surpassed in the abund- 
ance of its bloom, its pretty, clean, and often 
brilliant foliage, and graceful habit. Al- 
though always at its best during the summer 
season, certain varieties will bloom well 
during the winter, if accorded the right 
care and conditions. The Fuchsia should be 
grown fast, and should not iack for plenty 
of nourishment in the soil : the soil they 
like best is composed of two-thirds turfy 
loam, and one-third \\ ell rotted cow manure, 
adding also some leaf mould and a little 
sand.. Set the plants in firmly, and let the 
soil be a little lumpy ; of course good 
drainage must be looked to. The secret of 
growing the plant is never to let it stop 
growing until it is of the desired size. 
Repot as often as the roots touch the 
sides of the pot. From fifty to sixty degrees 
is about the right temperature to grow 
Fuchsias at all times, but if wanted to be 
in flower, they will need about seventy 
degrees. They require plenty of light and 
air but not much direct sunshine Cuttings 
root readily, a young cutting rooted in the 
spring will make a nice large plant by 
autumn. If wanted to grow in dwarf, 
bushy shape, pinch otf the top of the shrub 
when it is about eight or nine inches high, 
pinching back also the young shoots in turn 
when two to three inches long. Keep the 
main stem fastened to a stout stake ; all 
pinching back must be stopped for two 
months before they are expected to be in 
flower. 
If a tree-like form is required, let the 
main stem grow as high as desired, and rub 
all side shoots as fast as they appear. Then 
when the plant is tall enough pinch out the 
top. so that it will throw out shoots, which 
shoots must also be pinched back two or 
three times so that a handsome head will 
form. Keep the Fuchsia out of doors dur- 
ing the summer so that the wood may be 
properly ripened, but take them indoors 
before frost comes. Old plants that are 
kept over for summer bloom may be placed 
in a cool room, or even the cellar, and only 
watered < occasionally so they will not become 
entirely dry ; they should be cut back in 
February, and placed in a temperature 
of from fifty to sixty degrees. They may 
be repotted into pots a size or two smaller 
than those in which they were growing, or 
they may be put into the same pots again. 
Fine standards must be kept growing quite 
slowly all w inter, but require low tempera- 
ture and very little water during the 
dormant season. — G. B. 
Plants for Winter Blooming-. 
The Allium Neapolitanum will give good 
satisfaction for bloom in winter. Pot them 
at any time from October to the middle of 
November. Put quite a number of the 
bulbs in a six inch pot ; they always bloom, 
and bloom so well, the flowers of pure wdiite 
borne in clusters so lovely and dainty. 
When they have done blooming, let them 
complete their growth, after which they 
will show signs of wanting to rest ; then 
witliold water, and when thoroughly dry, 
remove them to a dark closet, or to the 
cellar, letting them remain until fall. In 
fact the same treatment that is given to 
Freesias will do for the Alliums. They are 
so inexpensive, and the care is so simple 
that every one should try a few of these 
bulbs, and they will never be without them. 
* * 
* 
The Nasturtiums (dwarf varieties) make 
fine pot plants for winter bloom. They 
should stand close to the window glass, as 
they will not do well without plenty of sun- 
light. They do not need a great deal of 
water. Cuttings root easily and make better 
plants for the house than do the seedlings. 
Their flowers are beautiful, and so bright 
that they liven up the window greatly, 
Any good garden soil will do for them. We 
have even transplanted large plants of 
nasturtiums that were growing in the gar- 
den with good success, cutting them back, 
asone would ageranium, at tlietime of trans- 
planting. 
* * 
* 
It is difficult to grow the Mignonette well 
in the house. The red spider is almost sure 
to get the best of it, unless great care is 
exercised. It must be showered every day 
with clean water, and kept in a rather cool 
room, 55° to 60° being about light for 
it ; it vvill then undoubtedly succeed well, 
and really it is quite worth the extra care 
The seed is rarely so«n early enough, in 
order to make satisfactory plants for 
winter blooming, and it should be sown 
directly in pots, putting three or four 
seeds in each, and when the seedlings are 
growing nicely all should be pulled out 
excepting the strongest growing one, which 
is left to grow, either in bush or tree form. 
Floral Notes. 
In November the busy gardener’s faith in 
the old adage, “ there is a time for all 
things,” is apt to weaken a little. He sees 
lots of things to do. but he doesn’t so clearly 
see where the time is to come from without 
a special act of Providence in his favor. 
There are more cuttings to be put Jn ; 
cuttings to be potted ; plants, young and 
old, to be shifted ; plants to be staked and 
tied up ; perhaps more pruning in the Rose 
and Carnation beds ; Chrysanthemums that 
need their last touches for the exhibition 
table, and many other things to do that he 
can not avoid doing without shutting his 
eyes, which he often does. 
In some localities beds of bulbs, Roses, 
and other things need a little protection of 
some kind. There is nothing better than 
leaves for this purpose. They should be 
put on lightly, and maybe kept from blow- 
ing off by placing a little brush on them. 
Soft hay is a good covering, as are also 
stones and long litter from the stable.. For 
bulbs sawdust may be used, and so may 
spent tan. Whatever may be used, do not 
put it on too soon or too thick. In most 
cases it is better to wait till the ground has 
been frozen an inch or so, or until there are 
unmistakable evidences of a sudden and 
hard freeze. When large surfaces are to be 
covered this advice can only be followed 
approximately. It is quite certain, in some 
cases, that winter covering has failed of its 
object because there has been too much of it* 
When a plant and its roots are to be 
protected, the usual plan is to draw the 
branches carefully together, tie them in 
place with a cord, and then bind long straw 
about the plant from top to bottom, at the 
same time spreading it sufficiently at the w 
bottom to protect the roots. The plan is a 
good one and looks neat, but is somewhat 
tedious. The “patent plant cloth” (some 
time since advertised in Orchard and 
Garden) is also good and easy to apply. 
An amateur friend protects his Tea Roses 
by tying them up in hardware paper, which 
can be bought at any hardware store. 
When this paper is used, a little long litter 
or coarse manure should be spread over the 
roots, as the paper is too stiff to be bent. 
The best time to make a bed of LTies is 
in the autumn, any time before the ground 
freezes hard. The ground should be spaded 
about eighteen inches deep, and thoroughly 
pulverized. If the soil is heavy it may be 
lightened by the addition of sand and leaf 
mould. The latter will be a valuable 
addition in any case. If manure be used, 
it should be old and finely rotted. Put the 
low-growing kinds in front and the tall ones 
in the middle. Use the Japan Lilies freely, 
especially the speciosum type. A judicious 
selection of kinds will give early mid- 
season, and late blooms. Lilium candidum 
should not have a place in the Lily bed. It 
belongs to the border. A good Lily bed is 
seldom seen ; but when well done, as 
regards preparation and selection, few 
things about a place yield so much pleasure. 
A large border of Phlox Drummondii, 
embracing all the forms in cultivation, pre- 
sented a rare opportunity for comparison, 
and the notes taken may hereafter furnish 
material for an illustrated article. Some of 
the forms, such as cuspidatn, for example, 
are very singular and interesting, and all 
are worth cultivating. 
The “compost heap” is one of the things 
that are put off “till the last,” especially by 
the amateur. It should be turned over and 
over many times before freezing weather 
comes, and put in the cellar or some other 
convenient place where it will not freeze. 
Freezing does not hurt the compost ; but 
you will find that young plants, like child- 
ren, do not like to be put in a cold bed. 
