38 THE PRACTICAL GARDEN -BOOK 



culture, profusion of bloom or richness of foliage, together 

 with their adaptability to shade, make them very desirable. 



Begonias maybe divided into three sections: the fibrous - 

 rooted class, which contains the winter- flowering varieties; 

 the tuberous-rooted, those which 

 bloom through the summer, the 

 tuber resting through the winter; 

 and the Rex forms, or Beefsteak 

 Geraniums, having large ornamental 

 leaves. 



The fibrous -rooted kinds may be 

 propagated by seed or cuttings, the 

 latter being the usual method. Cut- 

 tings of half-ripened wood root eas- 

 Fibrous-rooted B^ia il ?> making a rapid growth, the 



plants flowering in a few months. 



The tuberous -rooted varieties are propagated by division 

 of the tuber or from seed, the former being rarely done ex- 

 cept to increase the stock of some extra fine variety. The 

 seeds, like 'those of all Begonias, are very small, and 

 should be sown with great care. Simply sprinkle them on 

 the surface of the soil, which should be a mixture of leaf- 

 mold and sand, with the addition of a small amount of fibrous 

 ioam. Watering should be done by setting the pot or box 

 in which the seeds are sown in water, allowing the moisture 

 to ascend through the soil. When the soil has become com- 

 pletely saturated, set the box in a shady situation, covering 

 it with glass or some other object until the tiny seedlings 

 appear. Never allow the soil to become dry. The seedlings 

 should be transplanted, as soon as they can be handled, into 

 boxes or pots containing the same mixture of soil, setting 

 each plant down to the seed-leaf. They will need three or 

 four transplantings before they reach the blooming stage, 

 and at each one after the first, the amount of fibrous loam 

 may be increased until the soil is composed of one-third 

 each of loam, sand and leaf-mold. The addition of a little 



