100 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 
ping and regulating the vine, pegging it down care¬ 
fully and securely, to guard against the destructive 
effects of wind. 
Melons. —Give all possible assistance to those 
plants that are now swelling off a crop of fruit, by 
the application of liquid manure: such as are mak¬ 
ing their growth, and have not then crop of fruit set, 
should be duly thinned, stopped, and regulated, as 
previously directed, and a watchful eye kept over 
them. When the largest number of strong fruit 
blossoms are opened at one time, they should be 
carefully impregnated during the forenoon part 
of the day, after having been well aired, so that 
they may be perfectly dry beforehand. After this 
has been duly attended to, sprinklings of tepid 
water should be applied round the edges of the inte¬ 
rior of the pit or frame, and they should be shut up 
early in the afternoons. When the fruit has fairly 
set, and made a kindly growing start, lose no time in 
selecting the required quantity of the strongest and 
best shaped fruit for the crop, throwing away all 
others, and begin with a moderate application of 
liquid manure. As the fruit increases in size increase 
also the strength of the manure, leaving off its ap¬ 
plication altogether as soon as the fruit has reached 
its natural size. If these directions are properly 
attended to, abundant crops of superior flavoured 
melons may at all times be secured. No liquid 
manure, nor any other kind of stimulant, should 
ever be applied either before the fruit has been well 
set and lias made a start, or after it has attained its 
full size. The preparation of a good healthy soil for 
the culture of melons, in the first place, is the most 
essential point, and of much more consequence than 
the application of any stimulants. 
James Barnes. 
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 
MY FLOWERS. 
(No. 34.) 
Among the many bright flowers that deck the 
garden at this glittering season the scarlet lychnis 
shines conspicuous. It should be carefully supported 
by sticks, as the steins are brittle, and a rough wind 
soon breaks them off or bends them down, injuring 
the appearance of the plant. The colour is exqui¬ 
sitely vivid; and, though the form of the plant is 
rather stiff and ungraceful, it adds extremely to the 
brilliancy of the border. It was brought into Europe 
originally from Asia; and it is said to have made its 
first appearance at the period of the crusades—thus 
marking a very interesting era in history, leading 
our thoughts again to Jerusalem, that home of the 
Christian’s heart, and reminding us that as our 
ancestors struggled and bled to deliver the Holy City 
from the hands of the infidel, so should we earnestly 
and zealously “ contend for the faith once delivered 
to the saints.” Let us not strive about tilings only 
that are seen: let us wrestle for those that are not 
seen. The very colour of this doubly-interesting 
flower affects us, coming as it does from a soil crim¬ 
soned with blood, and in times when the blood-red cross 
waved over legions of brave and devoted hearts, all 
pressing onwards to Jerusalem. Does it not address 
itself with exhortation and reproof to us ? Are we 
so running, so fighting, so pressing onwards to the 
heavenly goal ? There is also the Chinese lychnis, 
and the lychnis fulgens, a native of Siberia: this 
latter is a superb plant. They both require some 
little care in frosty weather, but our common variety 
is perfectly hardy, and continues to bloom for three 
or four months. There are also white and double 
flowering varieties of great beauty, but I have never 
seen them cultivated, and I believe they are not often 
met with in our gardens. They would add greatly 
to the effect of the borders, if encouraged, from then- 
height and richness of bloom. 
The gay, graceful fuchsia is now taking its place 
among the flowers, and rivalling them too. With 
its long drooping sprays, and elegantly formed blos¬ 
soms, it is a striking ornament, either in the window, 
in the border, or as a shrub. It blooms till so late a 
season that it is quite invaluable, and is easily 
increased either by cuttings or separation of the 
roots. I have seen a large plant cut with a spade 
into three or four parts, and each has contentedly 
settled itself in its new abode, and become a stout 
little tree. I like to see one well-shaped plant stand¬ 
ing alone in the lawn, in its own little circle, with 
its tall taper boughs branching out on every side, 
laden with its long scarlet Bowers like coral ear¬ 
rings. It has a beautiful effect; and this plant may 
be trained into a very full and handsome form. I 
have read of a close worsted net being a sufficient 
protection for the fuchsia during winter, but, never 
having tried it, I cannot safely recommend it. The 
experiment being simple is worth a trial, and success 
would be really beneficial to the simple gardener. 
Trained against a wall fuchsias look extremely well; 
their blossoms are so elegantly formed, and the con¬ 
trast between the rich crimson and deep purple petals 
of which they are combined so striking, that they are 
peculiarly suited to a wall or trellis, where then beauty 
is most fully displayed. How lovely they must look 
in their wild state, in the woods and vallies of their 
native land ! They are the rich productions of Chili 
and Peru, and give us a charming idea of the wild 
flowers of that fertile land. Their name is derived 
from that of Leonard Fuchs, a German botanist who 
lived and wrote in the sixteenth century, but they arc 
very recent settlers upon our soil. The first that ever 
appeared in England was the Fuchsia coccinea, 
placed in Kew gardens in 1788, and varieties were 
not obtained till 1823. There is little in the nature 
of their own country to make them regret it. They 
tell us of rich mines teeming with gold and silver, it 
is true; and they tell us, also, of the cruelties and 
bloodshed that gold and silver caused, thus reading 
us a wholesome lesson, and bidding us be contented 
with such things as we have, instead of coveting 
riches which lead us into temptation and snares, “ and 
into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men 
in destruction and perdition,” but they have little else 
to say. How their warning voice endears to us our 
native soil, teeming with plenty, yet requiring us to 
use diligence and industry in its improvement, where 
we possess those blessed statutes forbidding unlawful 
gain, and urging to honest labour, and where we 
can enjoy our possessions in peace and safety ! Let 
the cottage gardener, as he waters and tends his 
graceful plant, reflect upon the blessings, denied to 
many lands, which Britain’s sons possess. Let him 
adore the unmeritted mercy which causes us to differ, 
and let him cling faithfully to his Queen, his Church, 
his country, and, above all, his God, for it is by His 
blessing only that England has braved the surges 
that have roared throughout the world, and that she 
still stands calmly amid the wreck of nations. The 
lowliest cottager may be one of his monarch’s body¬ 
guard, one of the Church’s body-guard, one of 
England’s body-guard, as well as one of God’s faith¬ 
ful people; therefore, let him not think his garden 
