36 THE TUBEROUS BEGONIA. 



may appear, "damping off," or shanking of the young plants in the seed 

 pan, is from some reason much more destructive at this season than earlier. 



The best place in which to raise the seedlings is on a bed of coco-nut fibre 

 refuse in a low, light, and warm house, span-roofed or lean-to, but preferably 

 the former, and placed in an open position. Beneath the coco -nut fibre, which 

 should be laid to the depth of two or three inches on a bottom of slates or 

 galvanised (corrugated) iron, there should be three or four rows of 4-inch hot- 

 water pipes, so as to maintain a steady bottom-heat of 75 or thereabouts. 

 Plain pipes are preferable to a hot-water tank, for the latter often gives off far 

 too much moisture, especially in a low or close structure ; while, if the fibre is 

 kept moderately moist, there will be dampness enough, but not too much. The 

 top-heat, or general temperature of the house, should range from 65 to 70, or 

 never below 60, or above 75 ; and with the warmth of the bed at the figure 

 before indicated 5 to 10 more than the body of the house, nothing better as 

 regards temperature could be desired. In a house of this character, the pots or 

 pans of seedlings can be much more easily and better attended to than in a pit 

 or frame outside, and both warmth and moisture can be regulated more perfectly. 

 The seeds, however, will also germinate very well on a shelf in a stove or warm 

 house, such as an early vinery or cucumber-house, where the convenience above 

 described does not exist. 



PREPARING THE PANS AND SOWING THE SEEDS. 

 THE best receptacles for the seed are the deep round or square earthenware 

 pans made in most potteries, though ordinary flower-pots, or even flat wooden 

 boxes, may be employed when the pans are not easily obtainable. In com- 

 mencing operations, get ready first a sufficient quantity of crocks, bricks 

 broken small, or fine "ballast," or even clean fresh ashes, with all the dust 

 sifted out, will do for drainage ; secondly, a compost composed principally of 

 leaf-soil, old, sweet and flaky, with a little loam, some fresh coco-nut fibre 

 refuse (this is especially useful if the leaf-soil is not thoroughly flaky and porous), 

 a little crushed charcoal, and plenty of coarse-grained sand. Mix this well, but 

 do not sift it ; merely pick out large lumps, stones, and sticks. Then sift some 

 good decayed leaf-soil very finely (this can be done much better if the material is 

 dry, and mix with it a sixth of fine clean silver-sand. The rough siftings of this 

 must be put aside, to be used as the best material to put over the drainage. Fill 

 the pans half full of crocks, though if they are shallow a third will be sufficient, 

 or if 5 or 6-inch pots are used, they must be two-thirds filled with drainage. 

 Over the crocks put a layer of the rough siftings, then an inch or so of the 

 coarser compost, and very gently press the surface to an even level. On the top 

 sprinkle not more than a quarter of an inch of the finely-sifted leaf-soil and 

 sand, pressing this also to a perfectly smooth and level surface. Enough soil 

 should be used to bring the final level up to within half an inch of the rim of 

 the pot or pan. 



