JUNK. 121 



BEGONIA PRESTONIENSIS. 



In the whole assemblage of stove vegetation, what have we 

 to compare in point of usefulness or general display with the 

 genus Begonia, — all of whose species, with very few excep- 

 tions, flower profusely, and their multitudes of delicate pink 

 or scarlet blossoms come in at a time when flowers are a real 

 acquisition, viz. during the dark dull months of winter and 

 spring? But although all the species of Begonia are orna- 

 mental, as a matter of course some are more so than others, 

 and therefore advantage has been taken by the skilful hybrid- 

 ist to cross certain sorts having many good qualities, but which 

 have yet some bad ones, with other kinds, with a view to unite 

 all the good properties of the two parents without any of their 

 imperfections. That this practice has been carried on success- 

 fully during the past few years, the many fine hybrids which 

 we now possess are a sufficient guarantee, and of these we 

 think few will deny that the plant we now figure is one of 

 the very finest. It was raised in the garden of E. L. Betts, 

 Esq., of Preston Hall near Aylesford; and Mr. T. Frost, Mr. 

 Betts' gardener, states, that it was obtained by crossing B. cin- 

 nabarina with B. nitida, the former being the female parent. 

 It will be seen that it resembles Cinnabarina in foliage and 

 flowers, but that it differs from both parents somewhat in 

 habit, which is of a neat branching character. The flowers 

 are brighter than those of Cinnabarina, and they are produced 

 freely all along the branches in axillary trichotomous cymes, 

 elevated on long red foot-stalks above the beautiful dark 

 green obliquely-ovate acuminate foliage. The male flowers 

 are four-petalled, the female ones varying from five to seven. 

 Like its parent, B. cinnabarina, this Begonia luxuriates better 

 in an intermediate house than in the stove, and it is exceed- 

 ingly impatient of syringing or drip : this is, however, the case 

 with all Begonias; they enjoy a humid atmosphere, but by no 

 means wet them over the head. The drainage, too, is a very 

 essential point, for no plants are sooner injured by stagnation 

 than Begonias, especially the tuberous-rooted kinds, and it is 

 found that the varieties raised from the tuberous-rooted kinds 

 are equally delicate in constitution. 



Mr. Frost states, that although he has raised many seed- 

 lings from B. nitida crossed with Cinnabarina, there has been 

 no variety amongst them, they have always retained the cha- 

 racter of Nitida ; but he is of opinion that the cross is to be 

 effected. It will be found that B. prestoniensis seeds freer 



NEW SERIES, VOL. III. NO. XXX. M 



