68 THE CULTURE (3F POT-PLANTS 



Others, those most commonly grown in pots are dealt 

 with here. 



Anemone. — All the anemones can be grown in pots, 

 the numerous forms of A. coronaria being specially beautiful. 

 Several species, such as A. blanda and the varieties of 



A. hortensis and A. hepatica (often called merely hepatica), 

 are excellent for winter flowers ; while if the well-known 

 Japanese anemone {A . Japonica) is carefully lifted and potted 

 in autumn, it will continue to flower for a long time in a 

 greenhouse or in a room. The most suitable soil for 

 anemones is rich sandy loam. They should be protected 

 from frost, but not subjected to a high temperature. Their 

 flowers last longest in partial shade. They require plenty of 

 water while growing, less when the foliage begins to change 

 colour, and little or none while they are resting. The woody 

 crowns may be either left in the pots or else stored in sand 

 to exclude the air and prevent their being dried excessively. 

 Most species are best planted in autumn, but A. coronaria 

 may also be planted in spring. 



Begonia (Winter-Flowering). — There are several species 

 which flower in winter, but the exceedingly floriferous and 

 handsome plants usually grown are hybrids resulting from 

 the crossing of the herbaceous B. socotrana with the tuberous 



B. Dregei. The first of the race thus obtained was Gloire de 

 Lorraine, which is still one of the best. As old plants do 

 not flower so well as young ones, they should be propagated 

 every year. With this object they should be cut down 

 nearly to the soil after the flowers wither, and should be kept 

 fairly dry until young shoots start from the base, when the 

 supply of water should be increased gradually. When the 

 shoots are 2 or 3 in. in length they should be cut off at the 

 points from which they spring, and should be inserted in pots 

 of sandy soil and covered with glass or placed in a pro- 

 pagator. They should be kept moist, warm, and shaded 

 until roots are formed and growth commences, and then 

 should have more light and air — as much as possible during 

 the summer. When the pots are filled with roots they should 

 be moved into larger ones. They do not require a very high 



