Dutch Tuberous Begonia Growers 



By Chas. 



This is the time of the year when the growers in 

 Holland are preparing to start their new crop of tuber- 

 ous Begonias. I will relate as briefly as possible their 

 way of cultivating the same for the English and Amer- 

 ican markets. 



The houses used for starting tuberous Begonias are 

 ordinary propagating houses 11 x 80, sunk 2 feet in the 

 ground ; a bench on each side and a path in the middle. 

 ( )n the benches are removable tiles co\'ered with ashes. 

 Part of- the benches facing N.E.-S.W. are so arranged 

 as tp have extra sashes coming down on the benches 

 and form a kind of sweat-box and it is in tliere that 

 the most important part of the work is done ; .that is, 

 germinating the very fine small seed. 



Every grower of tuberous Begpiilas has his own 

 seed saved from his best and mb§t' perfect flowers 

 which he keeps and pollenizes in a special house \yhere 

 also the hybridizing is done and which is always uijder 

 lock and key. '. ;, ^^•^■ 



As soon as the soil is prepared, which is three p^ft^' 

 leaf ijipuld, the rest loam and sand, mixed and screened 

 through a j4-iiich screen, it is brought in the pottirig 

 shed as wanted. 



For sowing the seed, pans 12 x 18 inches are' used 

 only, and no wooden boxes. . These are scrupulously 

 cleaned and washed and if n'ew soaked over night in a 

 tub. Next, these pans are filled three-quarters vwith the 

 prepared soil and the seed scattered very evenly and 

 thin and pressed _down : then they get what we call a 

 bath ; that is, the pans are placed in a specially prepared 

 wooden tray ubout three inches high and big enough to 

 place 10 pans at once, and allowed to soak for half an 

 hour. 



After they are labeled they are placed on the bench 

 provided with the extra sashes, with the latter closed. 

 The house is then kept at 60°. Twice or three times a 

 day these covers are lifted and the assembled moisture 

 and heavy drops on the underside of the sashes are 

 wiped off with a sponge to prevent dripping in the 

 pans. jMuch care is taken with the watering, and as 

 soon as the cotyledons appear the seedlings are syringed 

 twice daily with a small compressed-air syringe which 

 holds about half a gallon. 



As soon as a pan seems to become dry it is tested by 

 knocking your knuckles against the side of the pan, 

 and if found dry is lifted from the bench and given a 

 bath. Every seed pan is treated separately and no 

 wholesale watering is allowed, as with a little too 

 much water the seedlings damp off. Gradually as the 

 seedlings grow they are hardened off by giving more 

 and more air, till at last the sashes are taken oft' alto- 

 gether, and by that time they are ready to be trans- 

 planted. 



F"or that purpose we engage a bunch of boys and 

 girls, those who have done the work before preferred, 

 and the work room resembles a school room. I re- 

 member one February day when we had 30. and quite 

 a merry company we were. Long benches and tables 

 are put in the work room and each has a seed pan with 

 seedlings and a pan with soil before him. To encour- 

 age ambition among the young workers a quarter as a 

 premium is given, every day to the one who trans- 

 plants best and most boxes, besides their regular 

 wages. Several men are continually engaged in label- 

 ing and taking the transplanted pans away and supply- 

 ing other pans. The newly transplanted pans arc i)Ut 



Schrall. 



in a sweat-box again with covers down for a day or 

 two and shaded with newspaper. 



As soon as the transplanted seedlings have devel- 

 oped three to four characteristic leaves they are shifted 

 from the house into hotbeds where they are again 

 transplanted right in the bed 2 inches apart, which is 

 about the middle of April. Now, also in these frames 

 are planted such small bulbs from last year's crop 

 which were too small to sell. From now on the water- 

 ing is done more freely and in a more general way. 

 Still we make such distinction as to water the dry 

 places first .and then water the whole frame, so the dry 

 places ar/2 watered twice. 



By the middle of June the plants in the frame will 

 be about 5 to §. inches high, according to variety, and 

 will have developed, a little bulb the size of a 10-cent 

 piece, and now they are shifted to their final destina- 

 tion — ^the Polder. 



The plants are now gently lifted from the frames 

 and put in big wooden trays, and especial care is taken 

 not to mix the different varieties. The boxes with the 

 plants are then put in the wagon and taken to the 

 Polder. We all know what kind of soil the Polder 

 land is. 



The land, which has been carefully prepared, spaded 

 (never forked), manured (cow manure only), leveled 

 and divided into beds 6 x 12 feet, is now ready to re- 

 ceive the plants. All hands are now engaged in trans- 

 planting and watering, and as a rule one acre is planted. 

 out in a day. The plants stand 6 inches apart, and 

 again great care is taken in labeling the beds with all 

 the different varieties and colors, and it is very sel- 

 dom that a mistake is made ; but if doubt arises as to 

 the certainty of one or the other variety, no chances ar-e 

 taken and the bed is labeled "Mixture." After several 

 good waterings, the fields are kept absolutely clean from' 

 weeds and are cultivated with a hand hoe. Once in two. 

 weeks a dressing of liquid cow manure is given, as this 

 is the time that they have to make their final growth. 



The plants are now left to develop as long as the 

 weather permits, but never longer than the first week 

 in October. Then they are lifted and taken home^ 

 where they are cut, dried and sorted according to size, 

 in four sizes. The top size, or mother bulb, the grower 

 never sells except on rare occasions, and then (july to 

 his best customers in limited quantity at a high price^ 

 and only for exposition purposes. The mother bulb is • 

 his next year's supply of seed. The rest is sold ac- ' 

 cording to size and variety, mostly to England and this 

 country. 



Competent Gardeners 



^ The comforts and products of a country home ore 

 increased by employing a competent gardener ; it you 

 want to engage one, write to us. 



q Please give particulars regarding place and say 

 whether married or single man is wanted. We have 

 been supplying them lor years to the best people 

 everywhere. No fee asked. 



PETER HENDERSON & CO. 



Seedsmen and Florists 

 33 and 37 Cortland! St. NEW YORK CITY 



