THE BEGOXIA. 147 



flowers. It blooms from September to January. As no female flowers 

 have been produced from this hybrid, seedlings have been impossible. 



Adonis. Adonis, a variety produced by using the male flowers of 

 John Heal, and the females of a tuberous variety, has soft, rose- 

 colored, male flowers, three inches in diameter, on graceful arching 

 peduncles. 



The following four varieties are all crosses between Socotrana and 

 a tuberous variety: Winter Gem, with large, deep carmine flowers; 

 Julia, with large, double, salmon-pink flowers; Myra, with rosy-crimson 

 flowers, and Ensign, with rose-colore'd, double flowers. 



TUBEROUS SECTIOX. 



The third section, the tuberous begonias, are used extensively in 

 England and France for bedding purposes. About twelve or fifteen 

 years ago they were imported in large quantities to this country, but 

 growers soon found that our burning hot suns and late frosts did 

 not suit them, and soon dispensed with them. Quite frequently, how- 

 ever, on the shady side of buildings, a bed of these gorgeous plants, 

 with their vivid shades of red, white, yellow, and pink flowers, may be 

 seen. Of the twenty species known to be in cultivation, only about 

 six have been used to any great extent in the production of the 

 thousands of garden forms in existence to-day. This is of special 

 interest when we consider that the first begonia used in the pro- 

 duction of these forms was introduced only thirty-six years ago. This 

 was B. Boliviensis, D. C., which was introduced from Bolivia to 

 England in 1864. It has drooping panicles of cinnabar-scarlet, fuchsia- 

 like flowers. 



Evansiana. B. Evansiana, Andr., is the oldest tuberous begonia 

 known to be in cultivation, having been introduced into Kew in 1804. 

 Although it is a handsome and almost hardy species, it is seldom 

 seen now. 



Geranioides. B. geranioides, Hook., as the name implies, has leaves 

 like a geranium, and erect flower stems bearing lax panicles of pure 

 white flowers, with button-like clusters of yellow anthers. If planted 

 in a bed in a sunny greenhouse, this is a fine begonia, flowering pro- 

 fusely during October and November. It is a native of Natal, and 

 was introduced to Kew in 1866. 



Davisi. B. Davisi, Veitch, is a stemless variety with the leaves 

 springing directly from the rootstock. On account of its bright red 

 flowers, it has been a favorite with hybridists, and is the ancestor of 

 numerous dwarf garden forms with red flowers. It is a native of 

 Peru, and came into notice in 1876. 



Rosaeflora. Another stemless species is B. rosacflora, Hook., a native 



