470 



BKCOXIA 



BEGONIA 



rhizomatous; and the fibrous-rooted. The bedding 

 begonias are mostly of the fibrous-rooted section, 

 particularly in the Semperflorens group, although the 

 improved tuberous kinds may be used for this purpose in 



special places. 



(1) The semi- 

 tuberous or 

 bulbous group 

 comprises such 

 begonias as B. 

 socotrana and 

 Gloire de 

 Sceaux. They 



> ' '/'.''/AT'"'" require much 



SOI. Young plants starting from the care and should 



incisions on a begonia leaf. . be grown in a 



soil with more 



leaf-mold than the fibrous-rooted, and a temperature of 

 65 to 70 in the daytime and 60 at night. Of Gloire de 

 Sceaux and some others, plants two years old will be 

 found best for decorative purposes. For special notes on 

 B. socolrana, see the treatment of that species, page 473. 



(2) The tuberous begonias are grown in pots, boxes 

 or baskets, under glass, or as bedding plants in a shaded 

 border. If the plants are intended for pot-culture in 

 the greenhouse, it is best to use the tubers. For early 

 flowering, start the tubers in February or March, either 

 in small pots or shallow boxes. The soil may be com- 

 posed of loam, sharp sand and leaf-mold, and the tem- 

 perature about 60 to 65. When the plants are ready 

 for repotting, well-rotted manure may be added, and 

 when the roots have taken a fresh hold a cooler tem- 

 perature may be maintained. For bedding purposes, 

 seedling plants, as well as tubers, may be used, provid- 

 ing they are of a first-class strain. Tubers are preferred 

 if early-flowering plants are desired. For further cul- 

 tural notes, see the discussion on page 471. 



(3) The Rex begonias are grown entirely for the 

 beauty of their foliage. They may be propagated by 

 means of either shoot- or leaf-cuttings, the latter being 

 the better when plants have to be raised in quantity. 

 Large and well-matured, but still healthy and vigorous 

 leaves may have the principal nerves cut on the under 

 side. The leaf is then pegged or weighted down on the 

 surface of a well-drained propagating bed. If care- 

 fully shaded, roots will be formed at every cut, a tiny 

 leaf will follow (Fig. 501), and the little plants may be 

 inserted singly in small pots. Another method is to 

 cut the large leaves into triangular parts, with a bit of 

 the main petiole at the tip of each, and insert the pieces 

 about 1 inch, with the lower or thickest end of the rib 

 downward (Figs. 502, 503). Still another method is 



to cut the leaf in two, across the 

 veins, and stand it edgewise in the 

 propagating bed. The young plants 

 may be potted-up into small pots, 

 using a light, porous, sifted soil. 

 Keep shaded in a low house with 

 a moist atmosphere. The soil may 

 be gradually made coarser with each 

 potting until in the final shift; an 

 unsifted compost of two parts loam, 

 one part leaf-mold, one part well- 

 rotted manure, and one part sand, 

 is used, adding a sprinkling of lime. 

 While watering, avoid wetting the 

 leaves as much as possible, and keep 



502. Triangular leaf- 

 cutting of begonia. 



large, well-developed plants in a shaded house, with 

 plenty of ventilation day and night during the summer. 

 (4) The fibrous-rooted begonias comprise such spe- 

 cies as B. riitida, B. semper florens var. gigantea, B.albo- 

 picia, B. Haageana, and B. Duchartrei. Of these, cut- 

 tings taken from clean, healthy stems in spring will 

 strike readily in an ordinary propagating-box or bench, 

 and if potted-on, as they require root-room, will make 

 fine plants for late winter and spring flowering. As 



soon as one neglects good treatment, especially in re- 

 gard to light, fresh air and fresh soil, the red spider, a 

 physiological disease appearing like rust, and the 

 dreaded nematodes, will soon attack them and give 

 them a sickly and stunted appearance. They require a 

 temperature of 55 to 60 at night and 65 to 70 

 in the daytime. The plants should be kept close to the 

 glass in the early stages of growth, on account of the 

 tendency of many of the varieties to send out rather 

 long shoots. A good compost is three parts loam, one 

 part well-rotted manure, and one part sand. 



While begonias in general are injured by too strong 

 sunshine during summer, they are benefited by all the 

 sunshine they can get during the winter and early 

 spring months. Strong sunshine, however, pouring 

 through imperfect glass upon wet foliage, is liable to 

 blister the leaves of any begonia. Such species as B. 

 Dregei and B. weltoniensis, which produce at their base 

 a thickened, fleshy stem like a potato, may be propa- 

 gated either by division or by cuttings. Many kinds of 

 the fibrous-rooted and rhizomatous sections can be 

 grown by amateurs, and make excellent house-plants, 

 especially B. manicata, B. coccinea, B. speculata, B. 

 argyrosligma var. picla, B. ricinifolia, B. heracleifolia, 

 B. incarnate. ROBERT SHORE. 



Begonia Gloire de Lorraine. 



Begonia Gloire de Lorraine (P'ig. 505) was raised 

 by Lemoine by crossing B. Dregei and B. socotrana, 

 and is one of the most useful and beautiful deco- 

 rative plants introduced. If large 

 specimen plants in 10- or 12-inch 

 pans are desired, propagating 

 should be begun about November 

 or December of the year previous, 

 as these plants are generally at 

 their best about Christmas time. 

 The best plants are obtained from 

 leaf-cuttings. Select medium-sized, 

 well-ripened leaves, cut off with a 

 sharp knife, insert in a bed of 

 sharp sand in a temperature of 70 

 and space them far enough apart, 

 so that they do not touch one 

 another. The propagating - bed 

 should be at least 2 inches deep, but 

 the stems should not be buried so 

 deeply that the leaf lies on the top 

 of the bed. These precautions pre- 

 vent damping off. A further preventive against damp- 

 ing off is to dust powdered charcoal over the bed after 

 the cuttings have been thoroughly watered. The leaf- 

 cuttings of Gloire de Lorraine are far superior to shoots 

 that start from the base of a cut-back plant, the leaf- 

 cutting having greater vigor and breaking more shoots 

 from the base of the plant. The leaf-cuttings will root 

 in three weeks in the temperature recommended above, 

 but they should be left in the sand until they begin to 

 throw up shoots from the callus formed at the end of the 

 leaf-stem, after which they should be immediately 



Eotted in 2-inch pots, in equal parts of fibrous loam and 

 af-mold, with about a fourth part of charcoal. Never 

 allow the plants to become pot-bound until they have 

 attained the desired size, and for all future pollings use 

 equal parts of the fiber of loam, half-decayed flaky 

 leaves, well-rotted cow-manure or horse-droppings, and 

 a fourth part of charcoal. Use this compost as rough 

 as can be conveniently worked around the plant while 

 potting. During the summer, they should be grown in 

 a rather humid atmosphere near the glass, always 

 lightly shaded from the sun until they begin to flower. 

 Pinch the shoots two or three times during the season 

 as this encourages breaks from the base of the plant. 

 When well rooted in the final shift, waterings with 

 manure-water will be beneficial. When the plants lirtrin 

 to flower, they should be neatly staked with thin twigs, 



503. Plant arising 

 from the base lor tip) 

 of a triangular leaf- 

 cutting. 



