January 2'.). 
COUNTKY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
817 
espalier, or other trained trees, that want tying up or 
removing, let that be done at once; and if any Apjde 
or Pear-tree seems worn out and wants rc-grariing, cut 
olf its head now, and take off tlic scions in jMarch ; but 
April is soon enough to graft. A mixture of loam and 
horse-dung is better than the stiffest clay for that pur¬ 
pose, as it is less likely to crack and fall off. 
llocKEHY.—The same remarks as given for the flower- 
garden is !i))plicable here, ])resuming, at the same time, 
tliat the directions of last month were carried out. 
Should it bo deemed advisable to remodel the whole, 
tills is a very good time to do it, as the earlier tlie plants 
are returned to their places again the better; and a 
certain amount of alteration is wanted hero, now and 
then, as certaiu robust plants have a tendency to overrun 
other things of more value, but less vigorous. In this 
case, some alteration is necessary, and tlio present is 
the best time to see after that work. J. IIobson. 
NEW, Oil GOOD BEDDING-PLANTS. 
(^Continued from page 180.) 
THE FUCHSIA. 
It has frequently been a matter of surprise to me 
that the lovely, elegant, long-blooming Fuchsia has not 
been more jdanted in masses in the bedding-out gardens. 
1 am sure it lias every thing and property to recommend 
it. In the lirst place, it is easily kept through the 
winter; all that it requires is to be kept moderately dry 
and free from frost. It may be kept alive in a dry 
room; in a dark cellar; under the stage of the green¬ 
house ; in cold ])its or frames, without any covering; or 
even will kccii alive if buried under a heap of coal-ashes. 
It is easily propagated ; every cutting will grow if taken 
off very young, planted in sand, and jilaced in gentle 
heat, under a handglass. 'J'hen, again, it may be 
planted out as early as May, and will flower till frost 
comes. It grows dense, and flowers most jirofusely, 
])roducing its coral-like blossoms most constantly. 
Surely, all these good qualities ought to induce flower- 
gardeners to patronize and cultivate this charming jibint 
more than they do. The fact, however, is that varieties 
are planted out that are utterly unlit for that purjiose. 
Because a variety grown in a pot in the gi’cenhouse 
produces there extraordinary flowers, it is thought lit 
for the flower-bed. It is ihcn jilanted out and fails, 
, flowering only for a sliort time. Now, to jdant such 
! large-flowering varieties not only leads to disappoint¬ 
ment, but throws a slur upon the Fuchsia that it does 
not deserve. Those ideas frequently passed through my 
mind when customers came in for bedding-jdants, and 
almost invariably passed by the Fuchsias, because, they 
said, they did not flower enough. What a mistaken 
idea! Choose the right varieties for bedding, and no 
lilant — no, none whatever—flowers more freely. 
I have seen Fuchsias in the open air, with stems as 
thick as my wrist, and higher than any man I over saw, 
as full of flowers as ever you saw an Gak-treo full of 
leaves; and 1 did not travel into their native country, 
the mountains of Gliili, to meet with such splendid 
specimens. No; I only crossed the sea from Fleetw'ood, 
in Lancashire, to Belfast, in Ireland. There, in a 
garden at Hollyw'ood, I saw Fuchsia coccinea, F. coiiica, 
F. fuJijens, and F. vuiorostemon, of immense size, 
growing in the o[)en air constantly. It is true that 
locality is near the sea, and, consequently, the frosts arc 
neither severe nor lasting; but that says nothing; such 
jilants could bo kept alive in any cultivated part of 
Great Britain with such protection as I have mentioned 
above. 
In the warmer parts of Britain the Fuchsia will live 
^ out constantly, though in severe winters it will gene¬ 
rally be cut down to the ground; therefore I would re¬ 
commend them always to be taken up and stowed away, 
in preference to leaving them in the ground ; and I'or 
these reasons—they are not sure to survive a very hard 
frost. If they do, they form such rank bushes, that they 
are far from being handsome, and, beside that, they do 
not all grow alike. Wliercas, if they are taken up and 
stowed away, the ground or beds may bo well trenched ; 
the soil renewed, if necessary, and the jilants put out in 
such positions, according to their strength, that the 
tallest and strongest will be in the centre of the bed, 
and the w'oakest at the sides, so that they will form a 
kind of amphitheatre of flowers when in bloom, and 
every plant will be seen. So grown, no plants require 
less care. They grow thick enough to choke uj) all 
weeds. The foliage shades the ground, so that the sun 
has no power to dry up or jiarch the land, and they 
require no water, and are loss subject to be preyed upon 
by insects than anyjilant 1 know. With these hints and 
praises, which, I trust, will induce many to try Fuchsias 
on a larger scale than they have done, I now proceed 
to give my list of such kinds as I know will answer for 
bedding purposes. 
Fuchsia coccinea. —This is the first Fuchsia that was 
introduced into Great Britain. It has small leaves, and 
rather small flowers ; is very hardy, and blooms pro¬ 
fusely. s 
F. coNiCA. —I fear this species is almost out of culti¬ 
vation. I know none so fitting to form standards, 
because it has such a robust, tree-like habit. Planted 
in the centre of a bed of Verbenas, or other low-growing 
flowers, such standards break the tamo, level line, and 
give a graceful variety, in form, to the general aspect 
of tlio flower-garden. 
F'. coRALLiNA. —A Well kuowii, strong-growing variety, 
suitable for a large bed, or to train up to a single 
stem, to form a weeping tree. The stems and leaves are 
peculiarly handsome. 
F. GLOiiosA. —I do like this good old Fuchsia with its 
scarlet globes. It is peculiarly suitable for bedding; 
flowering freely, even when not more than four inches 
high ; hence, it is a projicr sort for smallish beds. 
F. lULGENS.—This is one of the large-leaved species, 
with long, ear-ring-like drops of flowers, ]iroduced in 
beads at the ends of the shoots. Grown three or four 
feet high, with woody stems ; kept alive for years in 
some back shed, or under the greenhouse stage, and 
])lantcd out in spring. I know no plant move showy 
through July, August, and Sejitember. 
F. GRACILIS. —A rather tall, slender-growing species, 
but a most abundant bloomer, with elegant, long-tubed 
flowers. ^Fry attractive for a long season. 
F. MicRoiniYLLA. —The most dwarf of all Fuchsias, 
with beautiful stems, leaves and flowers. It is a little 
gem for a small bed; but requires the greenhouse in 
winter. 
F. IliCARTONii.—This is, without doubt, the hardiest 
of all the genus, and, as it has small leaves, it shows off 
its blooms most perfectly. It is the most proper of all for 
bedding, though it will, if the soil is too rich, grow to a 
largo size. T. Appleby. 
(7'o he conliitued.) 
ri.ANTING FRUIT AND OTHER TREES. j 
There are few points in gardening on which a greater i 
diversity of opinion oxists than on the management of 
fruit-trees: their planting, attention to pruning and 
cultivation, being points so important to the well'aro of 
the object in view, and the circumstances so difl'erent 
in which each are placed, that it is no wonder if a con¬ 
siderable difterence be made by the various parties, all 
desirous of success. And when we take into considera- 
