40 BULBS AND TUBEROUS-ROOTED PLANTS. 
cient, it should not be allowed to drop below 65°. A 
higher temperature will cause the plants to grow spin- 
dling and weak. 
After the seeds have germinated it is important to 
keep the soil evenly moist; if it is allowed to become 
dry beneath the surface the plants will rapidly damp off. 
It is the better plan to place the pots, or pans, in which 
the seeds are sown, in larger pans of water up to an inch 
below the level of the soil, for a few minutes, which 
will afford the necessary moisture at the roots of the 
young plants, and leave the tops dry, which will, in a 
great measure, prevent the plants from damping off, 
It is an injury to all the Begonias to wet the leaves. 
When the plants have made their first pair of leaves, 
they should be pricked out into shallow boxes, or potted 
singly, in a soil a little heavier than that in which the 
seed was sown. Then grow on in about the same tem- 
perature, shading at first from the midday sun, but 
always giving them an abundance of light and air. Shift 
into larger pots when the ones in which they are grow- 
ing are filled with roots. In this way plants from four 
to six inches in height can be had to plant out into the 
border by June 1st, which is sufficiently early, as they 
do not like cool nights. When a really fine plant is 
secured, it can be increased slowly by cuttings or by 
division, when the young shoots start in spring. The 
specialists in this plant keep all their extra fine and free 
flowering plants for seed purposes, or for show plants, 
and do not divide the tubers for several years. But the 
main supply for garden decoration is kept up by young 
tubers grown from seed. Tuberous Begonias flower freely. 
the first year from seed, but for brilliant effects older 
plants are to be preferred. 
After flowering, the plants will naturally show a 
disposition to rest; they should then be gradually dried 
off, and the tubers kept in dry sand until about the first 
