GREENHOUSE AND STOVE BULBS 95 



sowing and cover the seeds slightly with fine soil, 

 covering the pans with a sheet of glass. After germina- 

 tion watering must be carefully attended to, and many 

 have the best results from plunging the pans in water 

 until it begins to rise through the surface. As soon as 

 possible the young plants must be pricked off in a little 

 heavier, but still free soil, and grown on until fit to put 

 into small pots before transferring to larger ones. If 

 properly grown they will bloom well the first year. 

 Begonias are also propagated by division of the tubers, 

 like potatoes ; by cuttings stuck in pots in a bottom 

 heat of about seventy degrees ; and by leaf-cuttings on 

 cocoa-fibre or sand. 



They like a rich, but not heavy soil, either when in 

 pots or when bedded out, and in the latter position, they 

 should not have too dry a border or bed, and should be 

 freely supplied with water in dry weather. The tubers 

 must be lifted when frost cuts down the foliage and 

 stored away in dry sand, although larger tubers may be 

 stored without the sand if kept free from frost also. 

 They ought to be started in a little heat before plant- 

 ing out, which may be done when the days and nights 

 are warm, according to the district in which the garden 

 lies. The growing of named tuberous Begonias is on 

 the decrease, as so many excellent single or double 

 flowered plants can be raised from seed of a good 

 strain. 



BOMAREAS 



The Bomareas are among the most ornamental of 

 our greenhouse climbers, but are less grown than their 

 beauty deserves. They are allied to the Alstrcemerias, 

 but are of climbing habit. They do best when planted 

 out in the warm greenhouse or stove, but may also be 

 grown in pots. They should have a compost of peat, 

 sand, loam, and leaf-mould, and when in growth ought 

 to have plenty of water, occasionally giving them some 



