Encyclopaedia of Gardening 29 



dried and stored in fine sawdust for the winter. Named varieties 

 may be chosen for pots if desired, but mixed tubers are cheaper. 

 They may be potted in 5 -in. pots in bulb soil (see Bulbs) in 

 February or March, and brought on steadily in a greenhouse. Any 

 good variety can be propagated by striking cuttings of the young 

 shoots in sandy soil, or the tubers may be cut in halves the follow- 

 ing spring. These Begonias can be flowered the same year from 

 seed if there is heat available for it to be sown in winter. The seed 

 is snuff-like, and a very fine surface must be prepared for it. The 

 pan should be shaded with glass and paper until the seeds germinate. 

 The seedlings will require careful watering (see Watering) and hand- 

 ling at the first pricking off. They will grow slowly until their 

 tubers are formed, then much faster. The best winter-flowering 

 Begonia is the beautiful pink Gloire de Lorraine, which has pretty 

 foliage as well as abundance of flowers. The habit of this splendid 

 plant is one of its chief charms, making it suitable for a hanging 

 basket. It thrives in a temperature of 55 to 65 in winter, and 

 when in bloom may be kept somewhat cooler. After it has bloomed 

 it may be gradually dried off, pruned back to short stumps, and 

 rested. With fresh watering and syringing in summer shoots will 

 push, and these may be taken off at 3 ins. long and struck as 

 cuttings. Another method of propagation is to take mature leaves 

 before drying off, lightly nick the ribs, and lay them on the surface 

 of the soil, when roots will form. Plants from leaves come somewhat 

 more compact than those from cuttings, and bloom later. While 

 in full growth plenty of water and a moist atmosphere are good for 

 Gloire de Lorraine. It is beautiful under artificial light. Master- 

 piece is a deeper pink. Turnford Hall is a good white form, 

 and alba grandiflora another. Other beautiful winter-flowering 

 Begonias are Gloire de Sceaux, which has handsome brownish leaves 

 and pink flowers; and Weltoniensis, with pink flowers. Gloire de 

 Sceaux is a grand hybrid. It may be propagated by cuttings from 

 the base in March, and the house should be fumigated every three 

 weeks to keep down the mite which attacks it. It lasts in bloom 

 many weeks. The foliage Begonias must not be overlooked, notably 

 Rex and decora. The former is a popular window plant. 



Belladonna Lily. See Bulbs. 



Bell-glass. A dome-shaped glass, fitted with a knob, and made 

 in various sizes, used for covering cuttings to exclude air till rooting 

 has taken place. 



Bellis, Daisy (bell-is, from bellus, pretty. Ord. Compositae). 

 The garden Daisies, varieties of Bellis perennis, are esteemed for 

 spring flowering. They are low growers, but they produce large, 

 bright flowers, especially in the case of such varieties as Alice, Long- 

 fellow, Rob Roy, and Snowflake. The Hen-and -chickens is a curious 

 variety, producing small secondary flowers. The Daisies may be 

 planted in autumn in ordinary garden soil, either as carpets for beds, 

 or as lines; and may be propagated by division after flowering. 



Berberidopsis (berberidop-sis, from berberis, and opsis, like, refer- 

 ring to the resemblance to the Berberis. Ord. Berberideae) . The 



