170 THE GARDENER. [April 



hung in small bundles in a dry warm room to ripen : this is a some- 

 what important matter, as good well-ripened seed is not always 

 to be got. These past few years seed has been very poor in ger- 

 minating quality. In selecting French Marigolds for exhibition, 

 blooms with distinct and even markings should only be cut ; depth 

 of petals ought also to be considered, as well as the width of the 

 flower. Any undeveloped florets in the centre of the flower should 

 be removed, as also those grown out of shape. African Marigolds 

 do not form such symmetrical blooms in cold weather as in warm : 

 warm positions should therefore be given these. Also in preparing 

 blooms for showing, their symmetry is improved by removing florets 

 out of harmony with the rest. The colours of these cannot be too 

 pure — the nearer to a dark orange or a clear lemon the better. From 

 a mere utilitarian point of view I find Marigolds very useful. The 

 French is used, in the case of self flowers, which are, some of them, 

 very rich and dark, others pure yellow, for mixing in vases. The 

 African is much used for church decoration in autumn ; these are 

 also very sweet-scented, a fact not very generally known. I also 

 grow a very good selection of the old double-pot Marigold. Being 

 quite hardy it receives no other culture than a good soil. 



E. P. B. 



TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. 



Perhaps no class of decorative plants has been so much improved of 

 late years, and the cultivation of them so much increased, as that 

 forming the subject of these remarks. Tuberous Begonias are now 

 become quite indispensable in almost every place of any pretensions ; 

 and they certainly well deserve all the care and attention bestowed 

 upon them. They are so various in their shades, colours, and habits, 

 and generally so free-flowering, and continue flowering for such a 

 length of time, that as a decorative greenhouse plant they are un- 

 rivalled. They are easily grown, either from seed or by cuttings. 

 When a good strain of them is grown, it is desirable to save one's own 

 seed by crossing with approved kinds. They generally seed pretty 

 freely. The seed should be sown early in spring, in pots or pans 

 prepared with equal proportions of loam and leaf -mould, with a dash 

 of sand, finishing off with some finely-sifted soil for the seed-bed. 

 Sow the seed and press it gently into the soil with a piece of board, 

 or any thing else suitable : water through a fine rose, and cover with 

 a piece of glass until the seed begins to vegetate, when the glass 

 should be tilted up a little, so as to allow a little air to get in. The 

 pans must be set in a warm house. 



