BEGONIAS 



In 1877 appeared * Emperor, from Begonia Clarkei crossed with the hybrid 

 B. X Cbelsoni, which proved a marked advance on the forms then existing, having 

 brilliant orange-scarlet flowers of large size. 



Following Emperor came f Monarch, from crossing the two hybrids Begonia x 

 Sedenii and B. x intermedia. This, with bright vermilion-scarlet flowers, was, 

 when distributed, undoubtedly one of the finest of all the earlier successes. 



Up till 1877 the colours of the flowers of the Hybrid tuberous-rooted Begonias 

 were not of a wide range, mostly shades of red or varying from magenta to 

 orange-scarlet, but a break occurred when J Queen of the Whites developed 

 among a batch of seedlings of B. rosseflora. 



In habit Queen of the Whites resembled Begonia rosseflora, dwarf and 

 furnished with orbicular leaves and deeply-sunk veins ; the flowers, 2 to 2 in. 

 in diameter, milk-white in colour, were freely produced on erect scapes, and 

 the variety largely used as a parent, became the forerunner of all the white 

 and light-coloured forms now so numerous. 



In 1880 two varieties, named Mrs. Charles Scorer and roseo-superba, were 

 distributed. Mrs. Charles Scorer, a splendid crimson-scarlet flowered variety, 

 was produced by crossing Viscountess Doneraile (a hybrid not then sent out) 

 with another seedling. 



It is thus described : " A splendid variety with large well-formed flowers of a 

 brilliant glowing crimson-scarlet, unequalled in this particular shade of colour by 

 any Begonia of its class. The plant is of robust habit, free-flowering and 

 vigorous, furnished with a neat dark green foliage, which, together with brilliant 

 flowers, render it one of the best Begonias yet obtained." 



The variety roseo-superba, the progeny of Begonia rosseflora crossed with an 

 unnamed seedling, produced flowers of a clear bright rose-colour suffused with 

 white, at that time a unique tint amongst Begonias. 



|| Admiration and Viscountess Doneraile were the next two, catalogued for the 

 first time in 1881. The first-named was raised from the Excelsior crossed with 

 Begonia Davisii, and showed the influence of the latter parent in its dwarf, 

 compact habit and vivid orange-scarlet flowers. 



Viscountess Doneraile, one of the most brilliant of Seden's achievements with 

 the Begonia, resulted from crossing the two hybrids Monarch and B. x Sedenii ; 

 the flowers, on stout erect scapes, well above the light green leaves, were freely 

 produced, and rich vermilion-red in colour. 



An important role played by this variety was its use in connection with Begonia 

 socotrana in the production of that entirely new and remarkable race of Begonias 

 which has become such a popular winter-flowering section, and of which the variety 

 John Heal was the first to be distributed. 



In 1882 two varieties, the results of experiments made with the dwarf Andean 

 species, Begonia Davisii, with a view to the production of dwarf compact plants 

 for bedding or for small pot culture, were distributed. They were named Miss 

 Constance Veitch and Mrs. Arthur Potts, and both had the desired compact 

 habit, and bore flowers of varying shades. 



* The Garden, 1878, vol. xviii. p. 208, pi. 118; PI. Mag. 1876, t. 194. 

 f Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1878, p. 8, fig. 



J The Garden, 1878, vol. xiii. p. 208, pi. cxviii. ; Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1878, p. 9, fig. ; 

 Gard. Chron. 1877, Dec. 15, col. pi. fig. 4. 



Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1880, p. 6, 7. || Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1881, p. 49, fig. 



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