230 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
t 
1 seed from those two; one is very round and very flimsy; 
the other is an ill-sliape, hut very thick. Let not another 
he near them. We do not mention the full name of a 
correspondent when our decision is unfavourable. G. G. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS EXHIBITED AT THE ROYAL 
BOTANIC GARDEN, REGENT'S PARK, June lltli. 
In addition to those we noticed at Chiswick, it is only 
necessary to particularise the following:— 
Pinks.—A splendid stand of twenty-four cut blooms was 
exhibited by Mr. Wilmer, of Sudbury, in fine condition. 
They consisted of Blackheath Rival, Harrison’s Jenny Lind, 
Hooper’s Mcrope, Ken’s Harriet, King of Purples, Lord John 
Russell, Lola Montes, Morning Star, Smith’s Whipper-In, 
Wilmer’s Laura, Wilmer’s Surplice, Young's Lady Mild- 
may, Ac., &c. 
Ranunculuses were exhibited, in fine condition, by Mr. 
Carey Tyso, of Wallingford, 1st.; and Mr. MitcheR, of 
Brighton, 2nd. The best varieties were:— Amasis, Apollo, 
Alexis, Bcrinus, Burns, Carouse, Coronation, Costar’s Apollo, 
Dr. Channing, Delectus, Dr. Niell, Exhibitor, Felix, Faustina, 
Festus, Corner, Hephzibah , Highland Venus, Irreproachable, 
Kilgour’s Queen, Lamb ton. Lady Dartmouth, Milo, Margaret, 
Mrs. Nielson, Naxara, Olympia, Protector, Princess, Regent, 
Saladin, Sabina, and Xerxes. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS CULTURE. 
The Fuchsia. —The term “ florists’ flowers” has been 
defined as any species of flower that has been hybri¬ 
dized ; and the size, colour, and form thereby perma¬ 
nently improved. That this improvement has taken 
place with the fuchsia is manifestly true. We perfectly 
remember the delight with which we first cultivated the 
original species F. coccinea, —how anxiously its first 
blossoms were waited for, and the pleasure they afforded 
when their scarlet sepals and purple corollas expanded 
to the view. This species is now very rare, so much so, 
that the present generation of fuchsia growers would 
scarcely recognise it, and would not think it worth 
growing. The story, and we believe the true one, of its 
introduction, by a sailor bringing it to his mother, who 
lived somewhere in Wapping, and in whose cottage- 
window it bloomed for the first time in Britain, if not in 
Europe; and of its being observed in that situation by 
the late Mr. Lee, who emptied his pocket of all its con¬ 
tents as its purchase price, to the astonishment of the 
old lady, who, with some difficulty, even for such golden 
considerations, was tempted to partwith it, has appeared 
in print before, but we forget where; and it will, no 
doubt, raise a smile on the face of such men as Smith, 
Storey, and others, who have brought the fuchsia to its 
pi’esent state of almost perfection, according to our 
present ideas. 
Propagation. — By Seed. —The great use of raising 
fuchsia from seed is to improve upon the varieties we 
at present possess. Now, in order to accomplish the 
end aimed at, it is necessary to adopt such methods as 
experience tells us have been successfully followed to 
produce that end. If we wish to improve the form of 
any flower capable of being so improved, we must save 
the seed from such as possess the best form at present 
in existence. If the colour or colours are to be im¬ 
proved, the pollen of some variety that comes nearest 
to the desired colour, should be placed upon the stigma 
of one that has the same desirable colour also. Again, if 
size is the object aimed at, the largest-flowered, with the 
proper colour, should be the female parent, hybridized 
with pollen from another variety, with as large flowers 
as are in existence. The fine fuschia named Spectabilis, 
is one very likely to afford pollen that will materially 
[July 10. 
increase the size of our present race of fuchsia. Though 
shy to flower,yet, by applying its pollen to a more freely- 
flowering variety, no doubt a progeny would be raised 
as prolific in bloom as any already in existence. The 
seed thus raised by cross impregnation should be care¬ 
fully gathered when ripe. As the seeds are enveloped 
in a pulp, it is necessary, in order to preserve it, to 
cleanse it effectually. This is easily done by washing ; 
bruise the berries with the hand, and mix them with | 
water; as soon as the pulp is all washed off, pass the j 
liquor through a hair-sieve fine enough to catch the 
seed, wash it repeatedly till it is quite clean, then dry it 
gradually; put it up in brown paper, and keep it in a 
dry room till spring. Sow it early in March in a light 
sandy loam and peat, cover slightly, and place the pots 
in a gentle hotbed. When the seedlings are half an 
inch high, transplant them in rows across pots five 
inches wide; these will hold about twenty or thirty 
plants each, and then replace them in the hotbed. 
In these pots they may remain for a month or six 
weeks, and then they will require potting off singly into 
3-inch pots. Place them for a few days in a cold frame, 
kept pretty close and shaded till fresh roots are formed, 
and they are able to bear the full light, and a moderate 
admission of air. Give plenty of the latter as they ac 
quire strength, and when the pots are full of roots give 
another shift into 4-inch pots, and let them remain in 
these last till they flower. Many of them will flower 
the first year, and then is the time to make a selection, 
which naturally brings the consideration, of wliat are 
the desirable properties of a first-rate fuchsia. 
Commencing with the tube, a first-rate Fuchsia, 
should be well-proportioned, neither too thick, nor too 
short, nor too long; one-a.nd-a-half inch is a fair 
length, but if it is stout in proportion, two inches 
might be allowed; the sepals or flower-cups should 
stand at equal distances, and should be broad at the 
base, gradually tapering to the end; they should be 
reflexed a little above the horizontal line, but not 
turned up so high as nearly to meet the tube; the 
corolla should be large and well-rounded at the end, so 
that when the flower is turned up it may have the 
appearance of a little cup; the stamens and anthers 
at the top of them should project well out of the corolla; 
and the filament bearing the stigma must project con¬ 
siderably beyond the anthers ; the stigma itself should 
be larger than the anthers, and should be of a clear , 
white, so as to contrast well with the purple or crimson ! 
corolla. The colours should be clear and bright; the tube i 
would be improved if of a waxy appearance, bright, 
and shining. If white, that white should be pure, not 
a wishy-washy, pinkish white, but clear as the driven 
snow. The corolla should be of the deepest azure blue 
or purple, or if of darker colour, it should be a scarlet 
crimson, clear and shining. Some consideration, also, 
must be given to the flower-stalk, which should be long 
enough to allow each flower to be seen distinctly from 
amongst the leaves. The habit of the plant itself must 
be attended to ; it should be rather dwarf than tall, and 
should produce bloom when a foot high. Take all these 
properties into the mind’s eye, and select such out of 
the batch of seedlings as come quite up to the desired 
standard, and the rest may either be cast away, or 
planted in the borders of the flower garden. The se¬ 
lected ones should be repotted, and grown on to the end 
of the season to prove them. Cuttings may be taken off', 
and propagated of the best, and the whole kept in the 
coolest part of the greenhouse during the winter. 
Fuchsia culture to be concluded next week. 
T. Appleuy. 
