242 EMBELLISHMENTS. — BEGONIA ALBO-COCCINEA. 



80° in summer, with a slight shade to hreak the rays of the mid-day 

 sun. In winter, the atmosphere should he kept dry, especially in 

 cloudy weather, and the temperature allowed to fall as low as 58°. 

 Although B. Evansiana and others will stand in a greenhouse, still 

 even these species are much benefited by heat and moisture during 

 the early part of the season. As to the soil most congenial to their 

 nature, there appear to be various opinions. From experience, I am 

 satisfied that sandy loam and leaf-mould are the two principal mate- 

 rials ; and for the kinds that grow luxuriantly these should be used 

 in equal proportions. For some species, such as B. coccinea, which 

 are liable to damp off, the quantity of vegetable matter may be less, 

 and the deficiency made up with silver sand. Damping, however, 

 cannot altogether be attributed to soil, but must be ascribed to bad 

 drainage, or to moisture when the plant does not require it. 



" In preparing the pots, some prefer small potsherds for drainage: 

 this, in my opinion, is almost as bad as using sifted soil, for if the 

 crevices are small they will be the more easily filled up. For an 

 8-inch pot, which may be taken as an average size for growing a 

 specimen plant, the potsherds should not be less than three inches 

 across ; and if laid to the depth of two or three inches, and properly 

 covered with pieces of turf, there will be no danger of the roots suf- 

 fering from damp, if water is judiciously given. 



" Begonias being in general plants of free growth and delighting 

 in fresh soil, it is necessary to repot them twice in the course of a 

 year, viz., February and August ; but this rule, like many more in 

 gardening, is not without an exception : one plant may grow faster 

 than another under the same circumstances, and therefore ought to 

 be repotted when it requires it, nothing being worse for any plant 

 than to cramp its roots. 



" As Begonias are generally intermixed with other plants, and 

 receive a similar supply of water, both in summer and winter, they 

 may well present a sickly appearance. There are few plants that 

 require a more liberal supply during summer than they do ; indeed 

 some of the robust growing sorts will flourish with their pots half 

 immersed in water ; but, like other plants, they require a season of 

 rest, at which time comparatively little moisture is required. This 

 period is clearly pointed out by nature. In October all the species 

 with which I am acquainted begin to show that water should then be 



