60 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



Begonia T.ofijETi.oRA,Iiose-foive/'ed Begonia {Bot. Mag., t. 5680). — Begoniacesc. 

 Another charming Begonia, with large rosy pink flowers. It is stemless, with con- 

 cave orbicular leaves borne on red stems and three-flowered scapes, the stems of 

 which are red, and the flowers resemble those of the briar rose. 



BEGONIA EOS^FLOEA. 



AEISTOLOCHIA GOLDIEANA. 



ARiSTOLOcniA GoLDiEAXA, the JRev. S. Goldie's Aristolochia {Bot. Mag., t. 

 5672). — A remarkable stove climber from South America. The leaves are cordate 

 on long stalks ; the flower is bent into two unequal portions ; the lower portion 

 siKtnoustrng the ovary about eight inches in length. The upper portion a foot long, 

 funnel-shaped, and dilated into a three-lobed limb. The whole flower is of a pale 

 green with brown stripes, richly mottled inside with brown and orange. 



HOW TO MAKE A HOTBED. 



If you get hot dung from a heap, and at once make up the bed, it will burn up 

 every seed committed to it, and be exhausted in a short time. To secure a safe and 

 constant heat, the dung should be first well shaken out, so as to allow the atmo- 

 sphere to penetrate every portion of it. After two or three days, it should be 

 turned over again, and a fresh heap formed in a new place, every lump being 

 broken by the fork in the process. If dry, it must be sprinkled with water at each 

 removal, and if very short and pasty, -which may be the case if there is pigs' dung 

 mixed with it, a moderate admixture of dry litter, such as fern, straw, old turf, etc., 

 will give it more substance, for the duration of the heat depends on the quantity of 

 undecomposed fibre in the heap. When it has acquired a moderate heat aU over, 

 mark out the place for it, a foot larger than the frame all round, drive in short 

 stakes at the four corners, and shake the dung slightly within this space, just 

 putting it together with the fork as you go on. It should be from three to five feet 

 high, and the larger the bulk, the longer will the heat continue. Put the frame on 

 so that the dung projects equally all round it, and tilt up the light to let off the foul 

 gases. In a couple of days you may spread four inches of good loam all over it, and 

 you may then sow whatyouplease— cucumbers, melons, marrows, capsicums, toma- 

 toes, tender annuals, etc., in pots. If you purpose fruiting any of the gourd family in 



