The Fuchsia was introduced into England in the latter half of the last
century by a sailor, at whose home it was discovered by Mr. James Lee, a
florist of Hammersmith, who secured the original plant by paying quite a
sum of money for it, and in addition promising to give to the sailor's
wife one of the first young plants he would succeed in raising. In a
short time he succeeded in producing several hundred nice plants, nearly
all of which were sold at a guinea each. Shortly after this a captain
Firth presented one that he had brought from Chili to the Royal Garden
at Kew. The plant was named in honor of Leonard Fuch, an eminent German
Botanist, who lived in the 16th century. The varieties in cultivation
to-day are vast improvements. One of the early varieties was called
_Fulgens_. We recollect seeing this variety some four or five years ago,
and could not refrain from comparing it with a number of varieties
lately introduced. The flower may be described as follows: A slender
crimson tube two inches in length; sepals narrow, one-half inch; in
color a shade lighter than the tube; the corolla purple; in size very
small compared with the varieties of the present time. This variety is a
strong grower, large foliage which has a silvery appearance. Thus we can
have a slight idea of that from which have been produced the beauties of
our time; thus can we see what a skillful florist can do when he has
something to begin with. Some of the varieties of the Fuchsia are hardy
in England as well as in some parts of our own country. A traveler
informs us that he has seen them in California trained over arbors and
to the houses just as we train grape vines here, and growing most
luxuriantly. They grow in favor very rapidly wherever introduced, and it
was but a short time after they became known we find the Poet eulogizing
them in these lines--
"Graceful flowers on graceful stem,
Of Flora's gift a favorite gem;
From tropic fields it came to cheer,
The natives of a climate drear;
And grateful for our fostering care,
Has learnt the wintry blast to bear."
While some flowers have been extremely popular for a season, and then
have sunk into comparative obscurity, the popularity of the Fuchsia has
never waned, but on the contrary has continually been on the increase
until now it occupies a prominent place in every collection of plants,
be that collection large or small. There is a cause for this popularity,
and that cause is, it is of easy culture and produces its flowers
freely, often under adverse circumstances. The Fuchsia is readily
propagated by cuttings of the young wood. These will root in from two to
three weeks, when they should be potted in rich soil, say one-half
garden soil or loam enriched with well-rotted manure, and one-half leaf
soil, with a little sand added to make the compost very porous. From the
time the plant is first potted it should never be allowed to become so
dry as that the growth will be checked. The great secret of growing
Fuchsias successfully is to _keep them growing_. In order to do this we
must provide for them a rich soil, an abundance of pot-room and a moist
atmosphere. If you wish to grow large specimen plants the cuttings
should be struck (that is rooted), early in the season. This will allow
a longer period for them in which to make their growth before the season
for blooming arrives; by keeping the plants supplied with plenty of
pot-room the time of blooming will be somewhat retarded, and if on the
other hand we desire to have the plants in bloom as early as possible we
allow plenty of pot-room during the early part of the growing season,
after which we allow the pots to become pretty well filled with roots,
and abundance of beautiful pendulous flowers will be the result.
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.
We began our list with the _Champion_--the largest known--we will end it
with the tiniest, _Microphylla_, the whole plant, flowers and leaves are
Liliputian among the Fuchsias.