F

Fabacea.—See "Thermopsis."

Fatsia Japonica.—See "Aralia."

Feather Grass.—See "Stipa Pennata."

Fennel.—Sow the seed in April, cover lightly with fine mould, and when the plants are strong enough set them out 1 ft. apart. Cut off the flower-stalks as soon as they appear, to prevent them running to seed. The bed will last for years. (See also "Ferula.")

Fenzlia.—Elegant half-hardy annuals. Sow the seed on a peat soil. If this be done in autumn, they will flower in April or May; if sown in spring, they will bloom in autumn. Height, 6 in.

Ferns.—Most Ferns delight in a loose soil, an abundance of moisture, and a warm, humid atmosphere. The stove and greenhouse kinds are best cultivated in a mixture of sandy loam and peat. The hardy kinds grow best among rock-work or in a shady border: a light, sandy soil suits them. They may be increased by dividing the roots.

Ferns from Seed.—Collect the spore-fronds towards the end of summer, just as the spore-cases begin to open. Place them on a sheet of paper in a box for a few days, keeping it in a dry place. Most of the spores will fall out, the others may be rubbed out with the hand. These spores will keep good a long time, but are best sown within a year. Fill the pots with good heavy loam, water freely, and apply a coating of charcoal, coarse sand, and sphragnum moss, rubbed through a fine sieve. Damp the surface, sow the spores thinly, and cover with glass. Keep the soil moist by standing the pots for a time each day up to their rim in water. No surface water should be given. Stand the pots in a warm, light place in the greenhouse, but keep them shaded from the sun. When the surface is covered with growth, prick out into pans or boxes, using a rich, light soil. When they are large enough pot them off singly in thumb-pots, re-potting as soon as these are filled with roots.

Ferraria.—See "Tigridia."

Ferula (Giant Fennel).—Strong-growing, hardy, herbaceous plants. F. Gigantea has bright, glistening foliage, changing to a brilliant orange, and attains a height of 8 ft or 10 ft. F. Tingitana is very stately and graceful, growing 4 ft. high. They are easily raised from seed, will grow in any garden soil, and flower in August and September.

Festuca.—An annual ornamental grass, which is grown best on a loamy soil. Sow the seed in March, and keep moist till it germinates. Height, 1 ft.

Feverfew.—This hardy perennial will grow in any soil and ripen its seed freely. Young plants, obtained by sowing the seed early in spring, are very useful for edgings; when planted alternately with, or in proximity to, Lobelia a pretty effect is produced.

Ficaria Grandiflora.—A hardy perennial which thrives well when planted under the shade of trees. It is increased by separating the tubers in autumn, and produces its flowers in May. Height, 6 in.

Ficus Elastica (India-rubber Plant).—This thrives well in any light, rich soil, or in loam and peat. Keep it moderately moist throughout the winter, using tepid water. In summer any of the artificial manures may be used. Sponge the leaves once a week to free them from dust, and keep the plant well sheltered from draughts. Cuttings with uninjured leaves will root in autumn in sand with a bottom-heat of 65 or 75 degrees; or the cuttings may be taken in spring, stem-rooting the slips. It flowers in May, and sometimes attains the height of 20 ft.

Fig Palm.—See "Aralia."

Figs.—Though in some parts of our country Figs are cropped on standards, as a rule they require to be trained on a wall having a southern exposure. The soil should be a fairly good loam mixed with old mortar and crushed bones, but no manure is needed. The end of March or the beginning of April is the most favourable time for planting. The trees should be firmly set, and the surface of the soil kept moist until they are established. Manure may be given—preferably in a liquid state—when heavy crops of fruit are being borne. Old and exhausted wood may be cut away in April, but the knife must be used sparingly. The branches should be trained to a distance of 10 in. apart, and the fruit-bearing shoots may be pinched back with the thumb and finger at the end of August. The fruit is borne on the previous year's growth. They may be increased by layers, by suckers, or by cuttings of the young wood placed in sand and plunged in a bottom-heat under glass. Brown Turkey, Black Ischia, Yellow Ischia, White Marseilles, Brunswick, and St John's are all good varieties for open-air cultivation, or for growing in houses.

When grown under glass, Figs may be trained on trellises near the roof of the house, or may be planted in tubs or pots, not allowing too much root-room. At starting the temperature in the day should be about 60 degrees, and at night 55 degrees. More heat can be given as the plants advance, keeping up a moist atmosphere, but taking care not to give too much water to the roots. By pinching off the points of the shoots when they have made five or six leaves a second crop of fruit will be obtained. Use the knife upon them as little as possible. When the fruit begins to ripen admit air, and as soon as it is gathered give liquid manure to the roots every other day to encourage a second crop. When the plants are at rest they need hardly any water.

Filberts and Cob Nuts.—These Nuts will succeed on any soil that is not cold or wet. The bushes should be planted in October, when the leaves have nearly all fallen. Make the soil firm about the roots and give a mulching of stable manure. At the beginning of April the old and exhausted wood may be cut away, as well as any branches that obstruct light and air. Encourage well-balanced heads to the bushes by cutting back any branch that grows too vigorously, and remove all suckers as they make an appearance, except they are required for transplanting. The crop is produced on the small wood. The best method of propagation is by layers in November or any time before the buds swell in spring. The process is simple, it merely requiring a notch to be made in a branch of two or three years' growth, which is then pegged down 2 or 3 in. below the surface. The following autumn it may be cut away from its parent, pruned, and planted. They may also be grown from nuts sown in autumn and transplanted when two years old. In Kent the bushes are kept low and wide-spreading, by which means the harvest is more readily reaped. On a fairly good soil they should stand from 10 to 14 ft. apart. Lambert's Filberts, Frizzled Filberts, Purple Filberts are good varieties, the former two bearing abundantly. Among the best of the Cobs may be mentioned the Great Cob and Merveille de Bollwyller.

Fire Thorn.—See "Crataegus."

Flea Bane.—See "Inula" and "Stenactis."

Flower-Pots, Sizes of.—Various practices prevail at different potteries, but the appended names and sizes are generally adopted. In every case the inside measurement is taken. Inches    Inches
SIZES. across Top. Deep.

Thimbles 2 2
Thumbs 2-1/2 2-1/2
Sixties (60's) 3 3-1/2
Fifty-fours (54's) 4 4
Forty-eights (48's) 4-1/2 5
Thirty-twos (32's) 6 6
Twenty-fours (24's) 8-1/2 8
Sixteens (16's) 9-1/2 9
Twelves (12's) 11-1/2 10
Eights (8's) 12 11
Sixes (6's) 13 11
Fours (4's) 15 13
Threes (3's) 17 13
Twos (2's) 18 14

Foam Flower.—See "Tiarella."

Fontanesia Phillyraeoides.—This shrub will grow in any soil, but needs protection in severe weather. It may be propagated by layers or by cuttings planted under glass. August is its time for flowering. Height, 10 ft.

Forget-me-not.—See "Myosotis."

Forsythia.—Any good soil suits these pretty shrubs. F. Suspensa thrives best under greenhouse treatment, but F. Viridissima is quite hardy. The former flowers in March, the latter in February. They may be increased by layers or cuttings. Height, 10 ft.

Foxglove.—See "Digitalis."

Fragaria Indica (Ornamental Strawberry).—A rich or peaty mould suits this half-hardy perennial. It may be saved through the winter by protecting the roots, but seed sown in spring will generally fruit the same year. It flowers in July. Height, 1 ft.

Francoa.—Hardy perennials bearing white flowers from June to September. They like a good, warm soil. The only way of raising them is from seed. They require a slight protection in winter. Height, 2-1/2 ft.

Fraxinella (Dictamnus).—This ornamental hardy perennial is commonly known as the Burning Bush. It succeeds in any garden soil, and is easily raised from seed, which ripens freely. If the flowers are rubbed they emit a fine odour. It blooms in June. Height, 3 ft.

Freesia.—Remarkably pretty and graceful Cape flowers, possessing a most agreeable perfume. The plants grow about 9 in. high and produce six or eight tubular flowers on a stem. They are easily cultivated in a cool greenhouse, frame, or window, and are invaluable for cutting, the long sprays lasting from two to three weeks in water. The bulbs should be planted early in the spring in rich, very sandy soil, and given the protection of a cold frame in the winter. By successional plantings they may be had in bloom from January to May. Put six to twelve bulbs in a 4-in. or 8-in pot, place in a sunny position in a cold frame, and cover with damp cinder ashes to keep them fairly moist. When growth has begun and the pots are full of roots, remove the covering of ashes, but keep the pots in the frame, giving a little ventilation when the weather is mild, and watering carefully when the soil appears dry. Protect from frost by a covering of mats. For early flowering remove the plants to a warm greenhouse when the flower spikes appear, keeping them as near the glass as possible. When the buds are developed an occasional application of weak liquid manure will prove beneficial.

Fremontia Californica.—A beautiful and somewhat singular wall shrub, with large yellow flowers. Any soil is suitable for it, but a south or west aspect is indispensable.

Fringe Tree.—See "Chionanthus."

Fritillarias (Crown Imperials, or Snake's Head Lilies).—Soil, sandy loam, or well-drained, deep, rich mould. Plant in the open ground in autumn; take the bulbs up as soon as the leaves decay, and preserve them in a rather moist place. Increased by off-sets taken from the old roots every third year. They are not so suitable for pot culture as for outdoor decoration. They are quite hardy, and flower in the spring, bearing clusters of pendent bell-shaped flowers surrounded with tufts of fresh green leaves.

F. Meleagris are of dwarf, slender growth, and bear in early spring elegant pendent flowers of various shades netted and marked with darker colours. These are suitable for either the border or pots. Plant in autumn.

Fruit Trees, the Pruning of.—Cut away all growths that have an inward tendency, and do not allow any shoot to cross over or come in contact with another; also keep the centres of the trees or bushes open. The fruit of trees thus treated is not so liable to be blown down by the wind, and the sun can more readily ripen it. If the ground is poor a dressing of rotted manure worked into the soil will be beneficial to the roots.

Fuchsias.—These like a warm and moist atmosphere. The hardy sorts do well out of doors in rich, light soil. On the approach of frost cut them down and cover the roots with 3 or 4 in. of coal dust, ashes, or moss. Remove the ashes in April and thin out the shoots in May. They will also grow well from cuttings taken off the old wood as soon as they are 1 in. long, inserted in sand and placed under glass, or plunged in dung at a temperature of 60 degrees. Cuttings will also strike in loam and leaf-mould. If grown in pots, take them indoors before the frosty weather begins, and give them very little or no water at all during the winter. Keep them in a cool place, yet free from frost. Re-pot them in the spring, trimming the branches and roots, and making a compost for them of one-half mellow yellow loam, one quarter leaf-mould, and one quarter old manure. Place them in a frame with bottom-heat, and water and syringe them moderately while they are growing. When they are in full growth never give them plain water, but always plenty of liquid manure.

Fumitory.—See "Corydalis."

Funkia.—Ornamental plants which delight in a deep, light soil and a warm, moist situation, without which they will not flower. They are increased by division (which should not be too severe) and bloom in July and August. Height, 1 1/2 ft.

Furze.—Enjoys a sandy soil. Increased by cuttings taken in spring or autumn and placed in a shady border under hand-glasses. It is of evergreen habit, and forms a dense and highly ornamental hedge. (See also "Ulex.")