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Fuchsia Seed. —Can any of your correspondents 
tell me where to get Fuchsia seed. I have sent to 
florists, hut always have my money returned; I can¬ 
not find one that makes the Fuchsias a specialty. I 
have had poor success in raising Geraniums from 
seed. Are Fuchsias hard to raise from seed? 
Spanish Ranch. Mrs. C. W. Hyde, 
Ansiver .—Peter Henderson, florist, New York, sells 
Fuchsia seeds that are considered reliable. You should 
plant them in sandy loam, made very fine; shade 
with glass and paper for a few days, and give bottom 
heat. They are tropical plants, and require more care 
than Asters, Balsams, etc. 
Gold Fish. —Will you please inform me how to 
raise gold fish, and what to feed them on ? Will some 
one please tell me if Roses will grow from the seed. 
If so, in what kind of soil should the seeds be planted ? 
One lady asked a question some time ago, through 
the Cabinet, if it took Geraniums that grow from the 
seed two years to bloom. I answer that it does not. 
If the seed is planted in a hot-bed in February the 
Geranium will blossom during the latter part of the 
summer. 
Mrs. William Henry Williams. 
Answer .—Gold fish will thrive in any pond of run¬ 
ning water, and in glass globes, if the water is changed 
daily, without any additional food. They will, how¬ 
ever, eat flies, spiders, crumbs of bread, and bits of 
raw liver. All new varieties of Roses will grow 
from seeds. Plant in sandy soil, and, if possible, give 
bottom heat. 
Cineraria. —-What is the best method of 
growi: 
Cineraria from seed? I planted mine in pots, that 
were well drained, in the greenhouse six weeks ago, 
and none have come up yet, while Chinese Primrose 
and Calceolaria seed, that were sown the same time, 
have been above ground over two weeks. How long- 
will it take before Begonias flower from seed? Please 
answer through the Cabinet and oblige, 
Oakland, Cal. Wm. A. Pryal. 
Ansiver .—Cinerarias usually grow from seed, quite 
as readily as Calceolarias or Primroses. Perhaps your 
seeds were too old to germinate well. Begonias 
usually flower the second year from seeds, or the 
ensuing winter. 
Canterbury Bells. —Will you please toll me through 
the columns of the Cabinet the cause of my Canter¬ 
bury Bells, Digitalis and Aquilegia not flowering. 
They have a great quantity of foliage, but no bloom. 
They are nearly three years old. 
Margaret Henry. 
Ansiver .—Canterbury Bells, Digitalis and Aquile¬ 
gia are expected to blossom the second summer with¬ 
out fail, and we cannot imagine why your plants 
refuse to do their duty. If they have not bloomed 
now, change their location and give a richer soil. 
Pomegranates.—I have two Pomegranates ; have 
had them four years; they have never blossomed, being- 
deciduous plants, or, more properly speaking, shrubs. 
I put them in the cellar winters; they never freeze 
there. Last spring I put one out of the pot into the 
ground. I left it in the ground this past winter. I 
do not look for that to blossom, if it lives. The 
experience about here is that they die down nearly to 
the ground, and never blossom. Can you advise any 
treatment that will produce blossoms ? I also have 
a Saxifraga Japonica Tricolor that is either sick or 
stunted. I have had it two years, and it keeps about 
the same size as at first. If a new leaf grows, an old 
one dies. I can cover the whole plant with a coffee 
cup. They are sjilendid when they do well; it was 
represented to me as being stronger in habit of growth 
than the old Sarmentosa, but does not prove so with 
me, that variety with me growing like a weed, as the 
saying goes. Please tell me if the Tricolor needs any 
particular treatment ? I would like also to know how 
long before the Cyclamen Persicum will blossom from 
seed. Can you give me the botanical naiiie for the 
fancy, fine-cut, variegated leaf grape vine? It is 
hardy. Mrs. David Briffett. 
Answer. —The Pomegranate is a gross feeder, and 
delights in the richest of soils. Keep it in a dry state 
in the cellar, from the time frost threatens until Feb¬ 
ruary, then give it a little water once a month until 
spring opens. Bring it up to the light then, and 
cover the whole surface of the pot with horse manure, 
a few weeks or even a few days old. Water it over 
the manure with warm water every day, when it does 
not rain, and soon the foliage and buds will start 
almost simultaneously, and it will be in blossom for 
months, making of itself a perfect glory. The Sax¬ 
ifraga japonica tricolor needs a rich soil, but friable, 
not soggy and heavy, to bloom well. The Cycla¬ 
men Persicum blooms the second year from seeds. 
We do not know of a fancy, fine-cut, variegated leaved 
grape vine. Do you mean the Virginia Creeper—the 
Ampelopsis? 
Tea Plant.—I would like some information in 
regard to the manner of starting seeds of the Tea 
plant- Miss S. Wallingford. 
Marseilles, Ill. 
Answer. —Can any of our readers furnish the de¬ 
sired information ? 
Onion Lily.—Will Isabel Bethel please state if she 
thinks I could procure an Onion Lily of the florist. I 
have not seen it in any catalogue; or if I have, it 
must have been under some other name. M. B. 
Ansiver. —Will Isabel Bethel answer M. B.’s re¬ 
quest? 
Gladiolus.—Will you please say something about 
Gladiolus? We have had poor success with them in 
tliis place; they do not bloom well. Jane Abbott. 
Answer .- — The Gladiolus blooms more freely if the 
bulbs are started quite early in the spring. They like, 
a deep, rich soil. 
Maurandia.—Please tell me why my Mauraudia 
(in the greenhouse) curls up its leaves as if there was 
an insect inside, when nothing can be found ? Also, 
why Tradescantia will only grow small leaves in the 
house—it has a profusion of these; is it on account of 
gas? Where can I find something to warm a small 
conservatory on very cold nights ? I have thought 
there might be a lamp with a small boiler attached. 
Boston, Mass. A Constant Reader. 
Ansiver. — Perhaps the tiny red spiders infest your 
Maurandia and Tradescantia. If they are kept in a 
close dry atmosphere in which gas is burned they will 
most likely put in an appearance, but gas will shrivel 
the leaves of plants. Shower the leaves with tobacco 
soapsuds, made quite strong and warm. It is said 
that hanging kerosene lamps — two, three, or more— 
will keep a small conservatory from freezing on wintry 
nights, but we cannot speak from experience on the 
subject. Newspapers placed between the glass and 
the plants are a great protection of a cold night. 
Green Lice.—Mrs. William Burnham will find a 
remedy for green lice in the October (1873) number 
of Cabinet. 
Fuchsia.—Will you please to tell me how to raise 
Fuchsias from seed—whether they should be kept wet 
or comparatively dry ? Mrs. Diana L. Gregory. 
Jonesville, Mich. 
Answer. —To raise Fuchsias from seeds, the soil 
should be a light sandy loam, and it should not be 
allowed to become dry, but not be kept so very wet 
that the seeds will rot. 
Hyacinth Bulbs.—When should Hyacinth bulbs be 
removed from the yard to the cellar—and what month in 
the fall is best for planting them again? Do you 
think it is well to allow Hyacinths to go to seed ? On 
removing greenhouse plants into the open air in the 
spring, is it advisable to change the soil in the pots ? 
I had a Ganna last year that grew scarcely more than 
a foot high, while one of my friends had one four or. 
five feet high. Can you suggest any reason for the 
difference? Perhaps mine was too much shaded. 
Do they love sunshine — and should they have a very 
rich soil ? Medora Askew. 
Ansiver .—Hyacinth bulbs can be left in the ground 
the season round, for three years, without taking them 
up. Then take up after the flowers and leaves have 
dried away, and put in the cellar in paper bags, and 
plant out again the last of October or first of Novem¬ 
ber. It is not well to let them go to seed as it ex¬ 
hausts the bulbs. It is better to repot all house plants 
in the autumn rather than the spring. The difference 
in the height of Canna was its location; it loves the 
sunshine and a rich soil. 
Tritoma.-I should like some one to instruct me, 
through the columns of the Cabinet, in my present 
dilemma. I purchased two bulbs of Tritoma uvaria 
last spring, planted them in my garden, and in the 
fall (as they had not flowered) took them carefully up, 
put them in large boxes with good rich soil; they 
have kept all winter just about in the same condition 
as when taken up, without blooming — should I cut 
them down, or not ? I took them up hoping they 
would flower in the house. J. J. Hill. 
Ansiver. — The Tritoma will always live in the 
cellar if its bulbs are put into sand, and dried off, like 
Dahlias. 
Sutherlandia.—Please state something in the next 
number of the Cabinet about the treatment of the 
Sutherlandia. I purchased seed from Bliss last spring, 
and raised several fine thrifty plants, but they do not 
seem to be shrubs, as stated in the catalogues, but 
look like a vine, and although growing finely show no 
signs of blooming. I pinched off the end shoots, but 
new ones soon came again, and the plants grow taller 
every day, and I am entirely at a loss what to do. 
Salem, N. 0. S. E. Keehlu. 
Answer. — The Sutherlandia is a greenhouse shrub, 
and requires a peaty loam to blossom well. Perhaps 
your seeds are of another species, and wrongly labelled. 
Lemon. Tree.—What is the proper treatment for a 
Lemon tree? I have one which does not thrive 
well. Inquirer. 
Ansiver. —The Lemon tree thrives better if it is 
newly potted every autumn in good rich soil, well 
mixed with one-third of two years old manure, or 
that taken from the spring’s liot-bed. 
Climing Rose.—Which is the prettiest climbing 
Rose, and where can it be found for sale ? 
East Sullivan, N. H. Carrie M. Phillips. 
Answer. —The prettiest climbing Rose for your 
climate is the Gem of the Prairie. It can be purchased 
of any florist. 
