30 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



November, 



Begonias as Window Plants. 



The various Begonias of the flowering 

 class, not embracing the tuberous rooted 

 section, are among the most satisfactory 

 liouse plants that can be employed for winter 

 cultivation. Indeed it is but justice to say 

 that they often succeed under conditions so 

 unfavorable that few other plants amount 

 to much alongside of them. 



The special qualities which render the 

 Begonias so useful as window plants are 



PLANT OF BEGONIA RUBRA. 



their freedom from insects, their adaptability 

 to a close and dry atmosphere, and the ease 

 with which they get along without full sun- 

 shine. Add to these the attractiveness of 

 the waxy-looking leaves, and the beauty of 

 the finely colored flowers of all the varieties, 

 and the graceful, charming habit of growth 

 of most of the varieties, and it is not difficult 

 to understand why they are favorites. 



In Begonia culture in the window some of 

 the leading points to be observed are to 

 have good strong plants by November of 

 each year, for blooming during the months 

 to come. For securing these early propa- 

 gation is desirable, say in March or April of 

 the spring previous. If plants started at that 

 time are brought on in small pots, kept near 

 to shaded glass until the middle of June, 

 and having had the principle shoots occa- 

 sionally pinched back, they should be sturdy 

 little specimens, in the best possible shape 

 for occupying four or six-inch pots by fall. 

 The best place for them during summer is 

 in a light, well ventilated frame, such as 

 may be provided with the help of a few hot- 

 bed sash, shaded with whitewash. If the 

 lights are run off at night when balmy 

 weather prevails the exposure will impart 

 to them a great amount of vigor, and the 

 flowers will come much finer than when 

 they are never thus exposed to open air. 



The soil for the Begonias should be rich 

 and free— a good niLxture consisting of loam, 

 leaf-mold, and well-rotted manure in equal 

 parts, adding thereto a good dash of sand. 

 When the pots get full of roots a little 

 weak liquid manure should be occasionally 

 given, the great point being to keep the 

 plants well in growth until the middle or 

 latter end of September, after which time 

 they should be placed in gentle warmth. 



From November onwards a constant tem- 

 perature of .5.5° suits them for promoting the 

 blooming condition. These winter flowering 

 Begonias may be well and easily grown in 

 the summer months by planting them out in 

 frames. Make up a bed of good soil in a 

 light frame, and plant out the first week in 

 June, potting them up again in September, 

 or earlier if they are large enough. 



In the matter of kinds for window culture 

 those we shall here name are about the best 



we know of. For the engravings of two of 

 these we are indebted to Mr. Chas. A. Reeser, 

 the florist of Springfield, Ohio, in whose 

 catalogue they recently appeared. 



Begonia rubra. This is unquestionably 

 the most satisfactory variety in cultivation, 

 being of easy culture, and both in foliage 

 and flowers most attracti^ e. The leaves are 

 of good size, a rich dark green and glossy, 

 while the flowers are remarkably elegant, 

 being large scarlet rose, of a fine texture. Of 

 this plant we have seen a specimen 

 so large as almost to fill out a window. 

 Brgoma metaUica is another shrub- 

 by variety of great beauty and excel- 

 lence. It is both a good grower and 

 an abundant bloomer. The leaves 

 are somewhat triangular in form, the 

 surface of a lustrous metallic or 

 bronze color, veined darker; flowers 

 a delightful pale peach, covered with 

 red hairs. 



Beaonia Weltoniensis is another 

 general favorite. It sends up so many 

 stalks, all covered with shining, rich 

 green foliage of such graceful shape, 

 veined with crimson, that a pot of it 

 soon becomes a most attractive feature 

 in any collection. It is not uncom- 

 mon to see plants two feet and a half 

 across, and about that in height,— 

 a mass of luxuriant growth,— and in 

 its long season of bloom it is sprinkled 

 over most profusely with exquisite 

 rosy flowers. 



Bcgnnia semperflorens elegans. 

 ThLs fine and comparatively new va- 

 riety attains a height of twelve or fourteen 

 inches; a compact plant of medium sized 

 glossy olive-green leaves. It is so free in 

 bloom as to present the appearance of a fine 

 bouquet. The flower is white in the center 

 shading to a delicate shell pink, distinctly 

 margined with bright rose, and enlivened 

 with dense clusters of yellow anthers, pro- 

 ducing a charming effect. It blooms freely 

 in the winter. 



It would not answer in making up a list 

 of desirable flowering Begonia to pass 

 over two of the older favorites, namely 

 the Coral Begonia (B. Saundersoni) and 

 Begonia hyhrida mnMiflora. The former is 

 really one of the best flowering Begonias, 

 the flowers of which are of a scarlet shade 

 of crimson, borne in profusion for months 

 at a time, and the leaves slightly edged with 

 scarlet. The last named makes a beautiful 

 specimen plant, the branches being some- 

 what pendulous, the leaves small and the 

 flowers of a bright, rosy pink.freely produced. 



drips, and if a little attention is paid to tak- 

 ing it up and wringing, and then replacing, 

 will effectually prevent the spoiling of the 

 carpet from that source. 



A Disease of the Violet. 



E. E. S., BOSTON, M-\SS. 



Among the Violet growers of the Eastern 

 States much interest is manifested concern- 

 ing the cause and character of a disease that, 

 in certain localities, threatens to cut off the 

 culture of this favorite flower entirely. I 

 have now had an opportunity to observe this 

 disease, both in Eastern New Jersey and in 

 the vicinity of Boston, Mass. 



At present it must be said that the trouble 

 seems to baffle the most patient observer. 



One grower at Boston, Daniel Gormley, 

 thinks that, if the plants are put in their 

 blooming quarters quite small, having 

 grown them on poor, dry soil during the 

 summer, thus inducing maturity and pre- 

 venting an excessive growth of foliage, 

 then when transplanted, put in rich soU and 

 encouraged to a vigorous growth, the disease 

 may be avoided, at least it is his experience 

 this present season. Another authority, 

 Michael Gray, Milton, Mass., advances, as 

 the result of several years' observation, the 

 theory of an insect, nearly invisible to the 

 unaided eye, being the cause of the trouble. 



The writer was shown a number of plants 

 having the disease, from which, when dis- 

 turbed, a number of minute insects could be 

 seen to jump in every direction, being very 

 active, of a grayish color. Mr. Gray's idea 

 is that this insect punctures the leaves, per- 

 haps depositing an egg, and the surrounding 

 parts become affected, causing the charac- 

 teristic spots seen on the leaf. 



Mr. Thos. Stock, near Boston, has noticed 

 a minute black thread-like substance about 

 the roots, runners and leaf stems of diseased 

 plants. Since noticing this he has discarded 

 all such plants when preparing his new 

 plants. This method resulted in a decrease 

 of disease. 



Mr. Gorden, of Dorchester, who makes a 

 specialty of Violets, says he believes in 

 changing both soil and stock yearly. His 

 theory of the disease is that it is caused by 

 some external means, such as a worm or in- 

 sect injming the root, or by a sudden in- 

 crease of temperature. 

 Mr. L. H. Foster, of the same vicinity, lost 



Are the Plant Windows in Order? 



ELDER'S WIFE. DANSVILLE, N. T. 



The winter plants will about this time be 

 taken in, if they have not yet been placed. 

 It should therefore be seen to that every 

 pane of glass of the window is securely 

 puttied in. Before severe weather let strips 

 of tea paper, half an inch or more in width, 

 be pasted over every crack about the plant 

 windows; it is better to ventilate in a more 

 thorough and less promiscous manner, than 

 through these tiny crevices, which have a 

 way of ventilating at just the wrong time. 



If the air is kept moist, as it must be if the 

 plants are to thrive, the moisture will collect 

 on the glass, rundown, get between the sash 

 and sUl and freeze, springing the window 

 casings out of shape, and drip off the inner 

 edge of the sill on to the floor or carpet, un- 

 less some precaittions are taken. The plant 

 stand should have casters for convenience 

 in moving away from the window on cold 

 nights, and to attend to the drips. Take 

 strips of old cloth dipped in melted grafting 

 wax and press firmly into the angle formed 

 by the sash and sill, have a piece of soft old 

 cloth large enough to fold six or eight double 

 and fit the sill nicely; this wiU catch the 



PLANT OF BEGONIA METALLICA. 



all his plants last year, but so far from being 

 discouraged he has gone into their culture 

 heavier than ever this season, hoping to be 

 more successful. His plants at the end of 

 September were in splendid condition, and 

 he thinks that the amount of attention given 



