THE FLORAL WORLD 



AND 



GARDEN GUIDE. 



NOVEMBER, 1869. 

 FLOWERING BEGONIAS. 



( With figure of Begonia roscpjlora.) 

 BY GEOBGE GORDON. 



S all begonias produce flowers, it is necessary to say that 

 our object in the present article is to speak of such as 

 are grown for their flowers only. "Flowering Begonias" 

 are valuable, chiefly, because a considerable proportion 

 of them flower during the winter when flowers are 

 scarce. Considered as winter flowers they are doubly valuable, 

 both because of their beauty, and the ease with which they can be 

 grown into good specimens. It is true, that with but two or three 

 exceptions, they must have the warmth of a stove or intermediate 

 house, when making the young growth ; and also when in flower 

 during the winter. Nevertheless, they are not strictly stove-plants, 

 and we need not breathe a stifling atmosphere in order to enjoy them. 

 B. Veitchi, and the beautiful B. rososflora, are stemless, and can be 

 propagated by means of the full-grown leave3, in the same way as 

 the ornamental-leaved varieties are. But all that have a shrubby 

 habit, like B . fuclisioides and B. Ingrami, are readily raised from 

 cuttings of the young wood taken off in the spring. The cuttings 

 should be taken off about a couple of inches in length from the 

 fresh healthy tips of the young shoots, and inserted firmly in sand. 

 It is not necessary to say anything about covering the cuttings with 

 bell-glasses, for there is a propagating pit made up at that time 

 in most gardens which will suit them admirably. It is not advisable 

 to keep cuttings of this class of plants either too close or too moist, 

 for the succulent nature of the wood and leaves gives them a ten- 

 dency to damp off ; but in giving this caution it will be well to 

 observe that, on the other hand, they must not be exposed to very 

 strong light, more especially sunshine, until after they are nicely 

 rooted. 



TOL. IV. — NO. XT. 21 



