54 THE TUBEROUS BEGONIA. 



a quiet current of air right through the plants will be found to strengthen 

 them wonderfully. We have often had occasion to turn a batch of plants 

 usually young seedlings out-of-doors, placing them on a bed of ashes in a 

 slightly sheltered position. This has generally been towards autumn, and 

 though not protected from the weather, such plants have always the air being 

 tolerably genial shortly gained a strength and stiffness, and thrown a mass of 

 stout, large, and richly coloured flowers, such aa are seldom seen under glass. 

 Plants so treated always produce firmer and larger tubers than those that are 

 grown inside altogether. In short, everything points to the conclusion that 

 these plants during the later stages of growth, cannot be too fully subjected 

 to an unlimited amount of fresh air. In or near large towns, however, 

 where the air is laden with smoke or dirt, it is not advisable to expose 

 them fully, except perhaps for a short time when the flowering is over ; at 

 all other times a slight protection, if only to preserve the purity of the 

 blooms, is desirable. It may be as well to add that the purity of the air, 

 as well as the % openness of the situation, has a considerable effect upon these 

 Begonias. "With equal care and skill in cultivation, not only will the blooms 

 produced in a favourably situated country-place be larger and finer in eveiy 

 way, but the plants themselves will be dwarfer, stiffer, and more floriferous 

 than those grown in town gardens. Not only has the purity of the atmo- 

 sphere a great effect, but the clearness and freedom of light, unobstructed 

 by smoke or fogs, is a very important factor in the production of dwarf sturdy 

 plants and finely developed blooms. Begonias are pre-eminently light-loving 

 subjects, in proof of which witness the superiority of the growth and flowers 

 produced during the long days, and in the abundant sunshine of the summer 

 and early autumn months, as compared with that of either very early or very 

 late plants. 



AFTER FLOWERING. RIPENING THE TUBERS. 

 \ 



AFTER flowering, the plants should be hardened off or ripened by being stood 

 out-of-doors, fully exposed to sun and air, and receiving a sparing supply of 

 water until the foliage has perished, or nearly so, when no more should be 

 given. Any plants that were got into bloom early may, if required to come 

 jn again later on, be cut back more or less closely, after having been slightly 

 ripened by exposure ; and if, when the wounds are healed, they are taken back 

 into a house or roomy pit, kept rather close for a time, syringed occasionally, 

 and when they have broken again, either re-potted or top-dressed, and grown 

 on subsequently in the usual way, they will bloom again profusely during the 

 autumn, though the blooms must not be expected to be so fine as at first. 



All plants in pots that may be standing outside late in autumn should be 

 moved under cover at the first sign of frost, for though, when planted out, 

 Begonias will stand a considerable amount of cold without the tubers being 



