AS A BEDDING PLANT. 79 



BEGONIAS FOR BEDDING, OR PLANTING 

 IN THE OPEN GROUND. 



YN many places, where soil and situation are favourable, the tubers may 

 A safely remain in the ground during ordinary winters, and will break up 

 ^ naturally and strongly again in spring, but this only applies where the 

 soil is light, dry, and well drained, and the position is comparatively 

 warm and sheltered. In cold or damp soils, or on bleak and ungenial aspects, 

 not only will the roots of these Begonias be liable to injury from severe frosts, 

 but will also be so late in starting into growth as to lose a considerable part 

 of the summer before coming into bloom. In most cases it therefore becomes 

 necessary to take up the tubers annually on the approach of winter, and 

 preserve them under cover until spring, when they may be started into 

 growth under glass, and again planted out. 



As in the case of plants for cultivation in pots, so here also we should 

 almost invariably recommend the use of seedlings either in mixture or 

 selected to colour, as may be desired, in preference to named varieties, the 

 only exceptions being a few well-known and proved sorts to be employed 

 where any particular shade of colour or exact uniformity is required. Among 

 those that may at all times be safely depended upon for this purpose are : 

 Ball of Fire, bright orange-scarlet ; Diversifolia, bright rose colour (stands in 

 Devonshire without being lifted) ; Emperor, orange-scarlet ; J. A. Clarke, 

 dark rose, large ; J. W. Ferrand, bright vermilion ; Lady H. Campbell, light 

 pink ; Vesuvius, bright orange, free. All these have capital constitutions, 

 and will not only do well in the open air, even in unfavourable seasons, but 

 will endure being propagated largely from cuttings without deterioration, 

 which is a very important matter. 



SMALL versus LARGE PLANTS. 



IN getting Begonias started into growth, with a view to planting them out- 

 of-doors, there are two different systems or plans of going to work, one being 

 adopted when it is merely desired to have the plants fairly started and in growth 

 by the time they must be put out, which in most cases is about the first week 

 in June, at the same time as the majority of other half-hardy and tender subjects. 

 The other system is to be followed when large plants in full bloom are to 



