THE FLOEAL WOKLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 45 



in this way that we scarcely dare attempt, and we shall confine our- 

 selves here to what has been and may be done in the best climates of 

 Britain. A large bed of Begonia Res, edged with a smaller leaved 

 sort, will, in a good season, present an appearance not to be sur- 

 passed with any other class of foliage in out-door masses. During 

 the past summer we have tried many varieties, and generally speak- 

 ing, with most satisfactory results. They grow with great vigour 

 after the end of June, and are far less particular about soil than 

 when in pots ; in fact, any good soil suits them, but the better if 

 enriched with liberal dressings of leaf-mould. In 1857 we had 

 similar success, but in 1860 scarcely any stove plant grew satisfac- 

 torily in beds near London, but in the succeeding years to the 

 present time every well-conducted experiment of this kind has been 

 completely successful. We generally know by the middle of June 

 whether we may venture with such subjects, and that is quite early 

 enough to put them out, so as to have them properly hardened for 

 the purpose. The idea is especially worthy of the attention of 

 gardeners who have accumulated stocks of old plants, as these are 

 the best for the purpose, and may be bedded, allowed to grow in full 

 luxuriance all the summer, and be left in the ground for the frost 

 to finish them. Messrs. Lane, of Berkhampstead, have done wonders 

 with bedded begonias ; so at Shrubland Park Mr. Taylor uses them 

 largely. The best beds in the Paris garden of Baron Rothschild, for 

 several seasons past, have been B. Rex edged with Caladium argyrites, 

 the most lovely plaut imaginable for an edging to large-leaved foliage 

 plants. B. jSTebulosa, Grandis, Eegina, Rollisonii, Grrifiithii, Ama- 

 bilis, Argentea, Grandis, Prince Trobetzkoi, and Queen Victoria, 

 are the varieties of which we can speak most favourably, from the 

 trial of them in our own borders. But we fully believe that the 

 variegated kinds may be selected for the purpose with regard to size 

 'and colour only, without reference to com.parative hardiness, just as 

 we select geraniums, and give ourselves no trouble as to their rela- 

 tive degrees of tenderness. In a bad season, like that of 1860, no 

 good will come of the undertaking, but in average seasons the result 

 will be satisfactory in all sheltered places, and in good seasons, such 

 as that of 1861 or 3 865, it will be successful in the highest degree. 

 Where beds of begonias are not wanted, a few may be used on banks 

 and among groups of large-leaved plants with admirable eftect. 



SELECT ZONATE BEGONIAS. 



There are about sixty varieties of nearly equal merit, diftering 

 considerably in their markings, and in the relative sizes of the leaves. 

 Prom these we select the few that follow as the best, and therefore 

 desirable as additions to collections, or as those which should be first 

 secured in forming a collection ; the first group are those of zonate 

 form, of which Rex may be considered the type, 



Amabilis. — Dwarf, neat ; central part of leaf bright green, beyond 



which a zone of silver grey, and a border of green. 



• ^Madame AUv:ardt. — A fine bold variety, resembling Rex, but with 



a broader silvered surface ; the deep green of the central part 



radiates in even lines along the course of the veins, so as to form an 



