84 THE TUBEROUS BEGONIA. 



some time ago, on a long border facing south, a row of scarlet, crimson, and 

 pink Begonias, with a few whites among thorn, backed by a close line of the 

 large yellow Marguerite (Etoile d'Or). Behind the Marguerites were shrubs 

 interspersed with tall herbaceous plants, and the rows were here and there 

 broken by Roses, standard and dwarf. There were some low-growing plants in 

 front of the Begonias again, though we do not now remember what these 

 were ; but the general effect, particularly the contrast between the rich red 

 lines of the Begonias and the mass of golden Marguerites, which were most 

 profusely flowered, was simply grand. 



Again, a bed of circular or other shape, filled with crimson Begonias, or 

 even with mixed shades of red, or red and pink-flowering varieties, with 

 moderate-sized plants of single-flowered yellow or white Marguerites, placed 

 among the former at intervals, looks remarkably well. The Marguerites, to 

 give the best effect, should be about twice the height of Begonias. The erect 

 starry white or yellow blooms -of the Daisies, standing up between the dark 

 drooping blossoms of the Begonias, form an admirable contrast. A bed of 

 dark Begonias, with young seedling plants of Nicotiana affinis dotted about 

 them, forms a contrast, and affords perfume as well as beauty. Strong-growing 

 Pentstemon*, too, scarlet, crimson, or purple-flowered, placed here and there 

 among a mass of white or light- coloured Begonias, show up well ; the latter 

 should be young plants, not much exceeding one foot in height, so that there 

 may be no danger of any of them overtopping the Pentstemons. 



In fact, various arrangements and contrasts that may be formed by tha 

 use of Begonias in combination with other plants are literally endless, but 

 on the whole we do not think these elegant flowers ever show to greater 

 advantage than when associated with fine-foliaged tropical plants, as described 

 on p. 6. 



To the above may usefully be added a brief notice of another section of 

 Begonias, which, though not tuberous-rooted, was introduced with special 

 recommendations as bedding plants by Messrs. Sutton and Sons, in July, 1885. 

 By crossing B. semperflorens and B. Schmidti, both fibrous-rooted species, 

 they obtained the pretty whitish pink-flowered variety, named Princess Beatrice, 

 which grows to the height of about 9 inches, has the green leaves and sturdy 

 habit of its first-named parent, flowers most freely, and is readily propagated 

 by division. This has since proved to be an admirable bedding plant. By 

 crossing a shrubby variety, with green leaves, spotted with white, selected 

 from some seedlings obtained from B. Rex, with the pollen of a light scarlet 

 tuberous-rooted variety a seedling from B. Davisii Messrs. Sutton and Sons 

 obtained about the same time a variety which they named Prince Henry, and 

 which was certificated by the Floral Committee on account of its dwarf 

 compact habit, and the freedom with which it produced its small bright red 

 blossoms. It had all the merits of a good bedding plant, but has, we believe, 

 been lost to cultivation. 



