HORTUS VEITCHII 



The variety Success also rather tall-growing, bears numerous semi-double flowers 

 fully 2 in. in diameter, and in colour bright carmine toned with scarlet; the 

 petaloids are yellow tipped with green. 



The most distinct is the variety Ideala, unusually neat and compact, some 

 9 in. in height ; the flowers large for so small a subject, are semi-double, of a 

 brilliant rose-colour, freely produced. 



Another cross of the year, between a single scarlet- flowered variety crossed with 

 the pollen of Begonia socotrana, proved unusually prolific. From the plants 

 raised of one capsule were selected * Mrs. Heal, Myra, and Winter Cheer. 



Mrs. Heal is by far the finest and most distinct of the set, the flowers, 

 2 to 3 in. in diameter, in colour brilliant rose-carmine toned with scarlet, are 

 freely borne, and gracefully disposed. 



The variety Winter Cheer, from the same seed-pod, is clearly distinct, having 

 leaves which resemble those of Begonia socotrana, and semi-double flowers of 

 an effective shade of rose-carmine. 



The third of the set, Myra, produces single flowers of a bright rose-carmine 

 colour, the pistillate blooms smaller and of a lighter shade. 



A decided break in colour was obtained by using a semi-double white variety as 

 seed-bearer and Begonia socotrana the pollen parent. From the one seed-capsule 

 which this cross produced two distinct varieties were selected, Julius and Sylvia. 



Julius is the most distinct of any in point of colour, a rose-pink suffused with 

 white, and flowers more truly double than those of any other of the section. 

 Sylvia has semi-double rosy carmine flowers 3 in. in diameter, which open in a 

 peculiar flat manner. 



Venus was the result of crossing Begonia socotrana with a single-flowered 

 variety of the tuberous section single flowers, in colour resembling those of 

 Winter Cheer. 



In 1903 followed two other hybrids, Agatha and Agatha compacta, the first- 

 named from Begonia socotrana with a hybrid long known in gardens under 

 the name of Moonlight, the product of B. Pearcei with B. Dregii, a small- 

 flowered species from South Africa. Agatha is not only a charming garden 

 plant, but interesting, as the flowers closely resemble those of Gloire de Lorraine, 

 a hybrid raised by M. Lemoine of Nancy from the supposed cross-fertilization of 

 B. socotrana and B. Dregii. 



The correctness of the supposition is confirmed by the close resemblance between 

 the two plants Agatha showing a slight difference in the shape and colour of the 

 leaves, as well as in a more compact growth, features probably due to traces of 

 Begonia Pearcei in its composition. 



Agatha compacta, a dwarf form of the last-named, was obtained from the two 

 species Begonia socotrana and B. natalensis, the latter a small white-flowered 

 South African species, resembling B. Dregii. 



The flowers of this hybrid bear a close resemblance to those produced by Agatha, 

 but are of a deeper shade of rose, and slightly larger. The great distinction, 

 however, lies in the compact habit, unusually dwarf and neat, requiring no tying 

 to make a shapely plant, as in the case of Gloire de Lorraine. 



* Gard. Chron. 1895, vol. xviii. p. 585, fig. 101. 

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