January 37, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOBTIOUIiTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



73 



rich and their colours are varied ; but these plants are eg fully 

 represented in the beds and bordtrs of the garden in Bummer 

 that their effect in the conservatory is proportionately dimin- 

 ished. For indoor decoration during the summer months the 

 ordinary occupants of our stoves, such as Ferns and fiue- 

 foliaged plants, are appropriate, and with these plants Pelar- 

 goniums do not associate well, but exceedingly suitable are 

 the Begonias now under notice. How effectively they blend 

 with such plants as Talms, Draea;nas, Ferns, &a., was demon- 

 strated by Messrs. Vtitch in their splendid group of plants at 

 the great exhibition at South Kensington last year. 

 Considering the rapid increase in the number of varieties of 



these Begonias, their extreme usefulness, and their promise 

 of culminating in a hardier race than other types of this 

 genus, is it not an oversight not offering prizes for them, 

 both for the best cultivated plants and the Iiest new varieties ? 

 At the great summer exhibitions prizes are provided for Pelar- 

 goniums, Fuchsias, Liliums, Clematises, Hydrangeas, d-c, 

 while no place is found for these Begonias, which are so in- 

 trinsically beautiful and so hopeful; of producing varieties of 

 still greater value. 



Having seen these Begonias " at home " both in the Chelsea 

 and Ghent establishments, and having grown some of them, 

 I can testify to their undoubted worth for summer oonsei-vatory , 



Fig. 21.— Begonia vesdvics. 



greenhouse, and even garden decoration, for^it not absolutely 

 hardy, many of the varieties are sufficiently so to flourish in 

 the flower garden during the summer months. I shall not 

 soon forget the collection of these plants which I saw growing 

 and flowering in the open air at Ghent. The sorts were Agate, 

 Cornaline, Emeraude, Onyx, Eubis, Saphir, and Topaz. 

 Gems, indeed, I thought them, bright, varied, and suflioiently 

 hardy to receive the names which harl been given them by the 

 raisers. Since then I believe that Mr. Van Houtte has made 

 f till greater improvements, and for some of the varieties has 

 received the gold medal at one of the continental exhibitions. 

 Equally worthv of recognition are the varieties which have 

 been raised at Chelsea, if, indeed, they do not surpass any 

 other sorts extant. In colour, substance, and profusion of 

 bloom, habit, and hardiness, such sorts as Stella and Vesuvius 

 have few rivals. Both these have received first-olaes cortifi- 



catea, the plaut of the lost-named variety being potted from 

 the open ground for the purpose of being exhibited. 



Plants of this type of Begonias were also planted out in 

 Battersea Park last year, and although the summer was by no 

 means a tropical one they grew freely, flowered well, and had 

 many admirers. 



Plant?, it will be readily perceived, that are amenable to 

 that mode of treatment are not miffy or tender, but are such 

 as are not beyond the means of those who do not rejoice in 

 pretentious gardens with every appointed means for growing 

 tropical plants. A dung frame for starting the plants, and 

 other frames heated by the sun for growing them on, are the 

 only structures really necessary, and which will produce plants 

 most attractive for conservatory or room decoration in the 

 summer and autumn months. The varieties are very dis- 

 similar, as may be perceived by comparing the engraving given 



