BEGONIAS 



It was at once perceived that, could this latter property of flowering in mid- 

 winter be combined with large flowers having the brilliant and varied colours of 

 the summer-flowering tuberous kinds, a valuable race of garden plants would 

 ensue, and extend the flowering period of this beautiful genus through practically 

 the whole year. 



Several hybridists at once commenced work, but the merit of being the first to 

 produce a hybrid, of which Begonia socotrana was one parent, is to John Heal, 

 who succeeded in crossing B. insignis (incarnata), a Mexican species with rose- 

 coloured flowers, with the pollen of B. socotrana. The hybrid plant from this 

 cross first flowered in 1882, and was named Autumn Rose, from the colour of the 

 flowers and in allusion to the flowering season ; it was not distributed, and 

 probably is not now in existence. 



The variety * John Heal, now well known, was the next raised, and the first 

 sent out. Flowered in . 1883, the produce of Begonia socotrana crossed with 

 the pollen of the summer-flowering Viscountess Doneraile, the latter hybrid 

 raised by Seden and previously referred to. 



Only one seedling obtained, all plants of this variety now in cultivation are the 

 produce of this one plant. 



Distributed in 1885, it is still largely grown as a winter-flowering decorative 

 subject, the neat, compact habit of growth, rich rosy-carmine flowers gracefully 

 borne in terminal panicles, and bright emerald-green leaves, combine to make a 

 useful plant for the decoration of the. table or conservatories. 



The next Adonis was raised from an orange-flowered tuberous variety crossed 

 with the pollen of the hybrid John Heal, a marked advance in the size of the 

 flower which, upwards of 3 in. in diameter, resemble those of the summer- 

 flowering varieties. In colour a bright scarlet to red with carmine, distributed 

 in 1887. 



Following Adonis came f Winter Gem, the result of crossing Begonia socotrana 

 and a very dark crimson tuberous variety, the former the female parent. 



In habit resembling Begonia socotrana, dwarfer and more compact, the 

 leaves smaller and neater. The flowers, the darkest of all the group, are rich 

 deep crimson, 2 to 2 in. in diameter, held erect on stout peduncles well above the 

 foliage. 



A semi-double rose-coloured tuberous variety was next used as a seed parent 

 crossed with the pollen of Begonia socotrana, and from a single seed-pod, the 

 varieties Ensign, Winter Perfection, J Ideala, and Success, were selected. 



These all flowered in 1891, showed a marked deviation from each other both in 

 leaf and habit and in the size and colour of the flowers. 



Ensign, exhibited for the first time in November 1896. was the first of this group 

 to be distributed. The flowers are semi-double, of a pleasing shade, of light rose- 

 carmine, with the petaloid stamens yellow or yellow-green, and the foliage inter- 

 mediate between that of the two parents. 



Winter Perfection, a taller-growing form, produces semi-double rose-pink 

 flowers, the outer petals spreading, the metamorphosed stamens remaining in 

 various stages of development, the outer ones rose-pink and the inner more or 

 less streaked with yellow. 



* The Garden, 1889, vol. xxxv. p. 218, col. pi. 691. 

 t The Garden, 1891, vol. xxxix. p. 504, col. pi. 807. 

 J Gard. Chron. 1901, vol. xxx. p. 411, fig. 124. 



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