56 ' STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



THE BEGONIA IN HOUSE AND GARDEN. 



Mrs. M. Elizabeth Pope, Manchester. 



This beautiful and deservedly popular plant was introduced 

 about a century ago. It is a native of the tropical South Ameri- 

 can countries, Mexico and the West Indies ; and at the time of 

 its introduction the varieties were more curious than beautiful. 

 A careful and systematic hybridization by European florists of 

 these inferior sorts has gradually led up to the magnificent speci- 

 mens of to-day, the improvement having been specially marked 

 within the last twenty years. 



Until recently the begonia has been grown almost entirely as 

 a hothouse or window plant, but now many varieties, especially 

 the tuberous ones, are found to flourish in the open ground. 



The begonias are divided into three well-marked classes : The 

 Rex, grown exclusively for its large palmate and highly orna- 

 mental foliage; the Flowering, or Evergreen begonias, of the 

 catalogues, which combine beauty of foliage with a very free- 

 flowering habit, and therefore commend themselves to every one ; 

 and the Tuberous, whose foliage is perhaps less beautiful, but 

 whose flowers, in great size, substance and brilliant coloring, 

 far outshine all others. 



Begonias may be propagated by cutting off a mature leaf 

 with an inch of the stalk attached. Lay the leaf, after having 

 cut through the largest ribs in one or two places, flat in a box of 

 clean sand, with the stem entirely covered. Pin the leaf down 

 to the sand with two or three wooden toothpicks thrust through 

 it, slanting. The new plants will form at the end of the stem 

 and at the points where the pins hold the leaf in close contact 

 with the sand. If your box can have some bottom heat, so much 

 the better for your success. In either case, keep the sand well 

 watered, allowing no water on the leaf itself. Care should be 

 taken in watering the tuberous, as well as the Rex begonias, 

 that no water stands on the foliage. 



All the Rex varieties require partial shade. All need a rest 

 of several weeks during winter, where they may be set back 



