THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 115 



with them, because in such situations they soon become drawn up 

 and cease to bloom satisfactorily. They are not very particular as 

 to soil, provided it is not too heavy and close, but any addition to 

 the beds in the shape of well-rotted manure or leaf-mouldy will aid 

 materially in promoting a healthy development of foliage and plenty 

 of flowers. Watering the bed thoroughly in dry weather will also 

 be of immense assistance to the plants. They will not require much 

 attention during the summer season, for unlike many other things 

 they must not be pinched back. In the autumn, before the frost is 

 severe enough to injure the tubers, lift them, and after they have 

 been laid out in a dry room long enough to become nicely dry, store 

 in pots filled with dry sand, and keep in a cool place where the frost 

 cannot reach them. The following are the best of those for the 

 flower garden, now procurable at a moderate price: — 



B. holiviensis, a fine upright-growing species, with drooping 

 flowers of a rich red colour. 



£. intermedia, a fine upright-growing hybrid, attaining a height 

 of eigliteen inches, and producing large, brilliant scarlet flowers. 



S. Martiniana, a pretty, neat growing species, with bright, rose- 

 coloured flowers; suitable for the outside of beds. 



B. Stella, a beautiful hybrid with dark foliage and brilliant 

 crimson flowers. 



B. Vesuvius, a fine hybrid ; bushy in habit, and producing a 

 profusion of large, richly-coloured flowers. 



B. Yeitclii, a robust yet dwarf-growing species, bearing large, 

 brilliant, red flowers, one of the hardiest of the section. 



There are several others that will do well in the flower-garden, 

 but they are as yet too expensive to be purchased for out-door cul- 

 ture. Amateurs who may not feel disposed to purchase a sufficient 

 stock to plant out this year may buy one plant of each of the fore- 

 going, grow them in pots in the conservatory, and strike several 

 batches of cuttings, with a view to raise a stock for next year's 

 planting. The smaller side-shoots strike freely at any time during 

 the summer. B. Yeitchi cannot be propagated readily in this way. 

 Seed of this class of begonias can be purchased and sown at once. 

 The seedlings will mostly bloom, and those which do not attain a 

 size sufiicient for them to flower will form tubers large enough to 

 produce strong plants next year. 



HARDY BEDCma PLANTS. 



BY GEORGE SMITH. 



iS the production of a stock of bedding plants sufiicient 

 to fill a flower garden, of even a moderate size, is a 

 heavy task for the amateur, I have prepared a list of 

 hardy plants that are well adapted for bedding purposes, 

 with a view to lessen the labour and difficulties inci- 

 dental to the preparation of the stock of bedders. Several^^ of the 



April, 



