Talks About Flowers.

by Mrs. M. D. Wellcome

As house or window plants the Fuchsias are very popular. The variety Speciosa will bloom very freely during the winter. During the summer months they should be protected from the direct rays of the sun, and kept well syringed. As bedding plants their utility is limited, as they must be planted in a shaded position. A bed of them in such a position makes a pleasant appearance, and in this way they are easily kept through the hottest part of the year. They may be bedded out, or may be allowed to remain in the pots and the pots plunged in the garden. In this latter way they will need additional care, as they must not be allowed to suffer for want of water. If it is desirable to keep the old plants another year they may be removed to the house or cellar, and kept cool and dry until toward spring, when they can be repotted in fresh soil, watered scantily, and started into growth and pruned or trained to any desired shape or form.—The Floral World.

The foregoing article so fully and clearly stated all that was essential respecting the culture of the Fuchsia, that we have transferred it entire instead of writing something original. We need now only add a few things respecting some choice varieties and recent novelties. "Champion of the World has the largest blooms of any Fuchsia; the tubes are short; sepals very broad and of great substance, well reflexed, and of a most beautiful coral red; the foot-stalk of each bloom is of unusual length and strength, so that each flower stands out bold and graceful. Corolla of immense size, and as it expands forms two-thirds of a perfect ball. Color is of the most intense bright dark purple. Free tall grower, and for conservatory decoration is one of the most remarkable Fuchsias for size ever yet sent out."—H. Cannell.

The illustration of this Fuchsia in Mr. Cannell's Floral Guide measures two and one-third inches in diameter, and yet we are told that when well grown, the Champion produces much larger bloom than the engraving. It has four rows of petals, and looks round and full like a pink. Bland's New Striped is of the single class, but the corolla is very large, of a rich plum-colored purple, regular and distinctly striped red and rose, pyramidal shape, habit strong.

Of the Hybrid variegated Fuchsias, Sunray is by far the best with red variegated leaves ever sent out; it is very ornamental. Pillar of Gold is a very showy variety with yellow leaves. Among the novelties in color, we find mention of Aurora Superba; tube and sepals rich salmon, corolla large and spreading of a distinct orange scarlet highly suffused with yellow, fine habit and free bloomer. Polyhymnia is a dwarf yellow.

Of Lord Beaconsfield, Mr. Cannell says: "One of the strongest and most conspicuous blooming varieties ever sent out, and one of the very best for sale and decoration; flowers neither good shape nor color, but produced in very large clusters and blooms nearly all the year if allowed plenty of root room."

This Fuchsia originated with Mr. John Laing, Stanstead Park Nursery, Forest Hill, near London, and is a cross between Fuchsia Fulgens and one of the modern varieties known as "Perfection." It was exhibited at some of the meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society first, as Laing's Hybrid, in 1875 or 1876. It much resembles the old Speciosa, but is more free blooming even than that, and its flowers are twice as large.

Kingsburyana, figured in Mr. Cannell's Floral Guide—which comes to us from Swanley, England—is very large and double. "It is another addition to the double white corolla class, and is remarkable for its fine vigorous growth and large showy flowers; its corolla is particularly novel and beautiful."

Mrs. H. Cannell, named for the florist's wife by Swaffield, its originator, "was one of the greatest lifts in bringing the double white corolla to perfection," and has given great satisfaction in this country. We have never seen one so beautiful, but Mr. C. E. Allen who has a large collection, including those rare gems from across the water, we have named, says: "Snow White is the very best double white Fuchsia ever sent out. A fine, erect grower, and a remarkably free and early bloomer. Sepals coral red. Superior to Miss Lucy Finnis in that it is of a stronger habit. Have none now in bloom." Among the fine specimen blooms of the dark purple type sent us by Mr. Allen, we think Elm City the gem for size, richness of color—a double dark purple striped with scarlet, sepals scarlet-crimson—and compact form. The Swanley Gem is of a peculiar shape, single, very open bell-shape corolla, "frilled" Mr. Cannell calls it, rose color with tube and sepals coral scarlet, the latter are very prettily reflexed.