48 THE TUBEROUS BEGONIA. 



much less artificial heat will be needed indeed, a well-heated greenhouse will 

 generally be sufficient. It should be borne in mind that the more naturally 

 these Begonias are allowed to start into growth, the stronger will the 

 subsequent growth and flowering be ; but at the same time it is as well to 

 employ a little heat, if only just at first, whatever the season may be, for if 

 left to themselves in cool quarters, some of the tubers are apt to come up 

 straggling long after the others, whereas in a little warmth they will all 

 commence to grow at nearly the same time. 



COMPOST FOB THE FIRST POTTING WATERING, ETC. 



THE best compost in which to start the roots is a light porous mixture of 

 nearly equal parts of loam, which should be either fibrous or nodular in 

 texture, coarse-grained (Bedfordshire) sand, and coco-nut fibre or leaf- soil, 

 or preferably an equal quantity of both these ingredients. Peat may be 

 used in default of leaf-soil, but is not desirable ; and whatever materials 

 the compost employed may consist of, it is absolutely necessary that it should 

 be light and open in character. "With a staple of this nature, through which 

 water will at all times pass freely, and with these 'small-sized pots, but little 

 drainage is needed, and one or two pieces of crock will generally be sufficient. 

 In potting, a couple of smart raps on the bench will be quite enough to settle 

 the soil ; do not press it at all hard with the fingers at ' this stage, particularly 

 in the case of the single kinds. Unless the soil is in a somewhat moist 

 condition when used, give one gentle watering with a rosed-pot, and after this 

 keep it only moderately damp, inclining to dryness, until the young growth 

 appears well above the soil. At the same time, if the tubers are sound, and 

 there is a gentle warmth beneath them, there will be very little danger of 

 decay, and too dry a soil is almost as bad as too much moisture. The crown 

 of the bulbs should be only just covered with soil. 



When fairly up, the principal point is to afford each plant as much light 

 as possible, without which no good results can be expected, so that the 

 nearer they are to the glass the better, particularly during the early part of 

 the season. The root-action must also be carefully watched, and a shift given 

 directly more room is required. It is also necessary to see that the lower 

 portion of the soil in the pots, or the bed itself, does not get very dry, as 

 it is particularly apt to do on a bed with bottom heat. When water at the 

 roots is really required, a thorough soaking should be given, sufficient to 

 penetrate right through the bed, pots and all. This should be done on a 

 fine bright morning. 



THE SECOND POTTING. 



DIRECTLY the young roots are commencing to run round the sides of the 

 pots, which can readily be ascertained by turning the plants out, reversign 

 the pots on the hand, all that require it must receive a shift. If started in 



