60 THE TUBEROUS BEGONIA. 



The latter have not merely become petaloid, filling up the centre of the 

 flower, but they have developed branches from their axils, resembling small 

 double flowers in the axils of petaloid bracts, which were originally the 

 anthers. These secondary flowers, or florets as they might be termed, are- 

 stalkless, or nearly so when the primary flower commences to expand, and 

 the whole presents the appearance of a dense or compact and very double 

 flower. Expansion goes on, and we have something like a large truss of a double 

 Pelargonium of bright scarlet colour, and measuring over 3 inches in diameter. 

 At this stage the secondary rosettes or florets have stalks about half an inch 

 in length, but as the whole truss gets older, the stalks elongate, until the 

 original flower appears like a raceme of small double flowers. 



THE ERECT-FLOWERING SECTION. 



UP to quite recently all double-flowering Begonias produced only pendulous, 

 blooms ; in fact, the habit of nearly all of these was of so drooping a char- 

 acter that they were constantly recommended and grown as basket plants, a 

 purpose for which most of the drooping-habited Varieties are eminently 

 suitable. But some five or six years ago, principally, we believe, as a 

 result of crossing the dwarf-habited B. Davisi and some of its hybrids with 

 the doubles then existing, plants of a very compact habit, and bearing 

 medium-sized blooms held nearly or quite erect, began to appear ; and these 

 being carefully manipulated by hybridists have received so many improve- 

 ments and additions that we have now a large number of varieties of this 

 description. And unquestionably the newer and more improved introductions, 

 in this class are among the most striking and beautiful of the whole family. 

 Some of the finest of this class, with erect double flowers, are Scarlet Per- 

 fection, Madame Dubois, orange -scarlet ; Mdlle. Hachette, bright pink ;. 

 Virginale and Little Gem, white ; Suzanna Hachette, rosy pink ; Canary 

 Bird and Lady Hulse, bright yellow ; and Marquis of Stafford, deep car- 

 mine-crimson. 



This class we consider to be an even greater gain than the erect-flowering 

 singles, and there cannot be a shadow of a doubt that there is a greater 

 future before them ; indeed, this may safely be affirmed of the whole race of 

 double Begonias in their present form, to say nothing of future improve- 

 ments. Though not so successful out of doors as the singles, undel- glas& 

 we believe they will prove ip be even more valuable, from the greater sub- 

 stance and attractiveness of the blooms, as well as their more extended range 

 of form and extraordinary enduring character. The colours of many doubles 

 are now quite as rich as anything to be found among the singles, though we 

 have not yet obtained crimson flowers of so deep a shade ; but the lighter 

 shades of blush, cream-pink, and salmon tints are considered by many to- 

 be even more delicately beautiful. 



