142 NEW ZEALAND GARDENING, 



Tuberous-rooted Begonias. This highly orna- 

 mental class of beautiful free-flowering plants, with their 

 graceful pendulous and upright flowers forming an effective 

 contrast to their glossy, marbled foliage, stand pre-eminent 

 for conservatory or greenhouse decoration, and they are 

 .equally adapted too for out-door bedding in Summer. In 

 habit, the plants are dwarf, compact, and very free-blooming, 

 the individual blooms being of large size and good substance. 

 The colours of the flowers are very brilliant, and comprise 

 many beautiful and rich shades of crimson, scarlet, orange 

 yellow, pink and rose. 



Propagation by Seed. The best time for sowing is about 

 the middle of August. It is necessary to use more than 

 ordinary care when sowing the seed, so that it is not buried 

 too deep. Care must also be taken that good drainage is 

 secured, by putting two inches of broken pots in the bottom 

 of the pots or pans, on this place a little rough-sifted mould 

 or moss, filling up with compost composed of two-thirds 

 good loam, one-third peat, and sharp sand, and a little well 

 decomposed cow manure (this latter ingredient may be 

 omitted when preparing compost for sowing). Fill the pots 

 to within an inch of the top, make the surface as smooth as 

 possible by lightly pressing it with some smooth substance, 

 water gently with a fine-rosed watering-pot before sowing the 

 seed, then distribute the seed evenly ; after which, sift 

 through a fine sieve just sufficient mould mixed with sharp 

 sand to cover the seeds. Cover with squares of glass and 

 place the pots and pans in a frame or propagating box in a 

 temperature of 60 to 70, shading from the sun during the 

 heat of the day. When the plants have made two or three 

 rough leaves they may be pricked off into boxes or pans and 

 kept close for a few days ; in about a month they will be fit 

 to pot off into three-inch pots, using the same compost as 

 first recommended. Shift again as soon as the roots have 

 reached the edge of the pots, into five or six-inch pots, which 

 will be large enough to bloom them in the first season. 

 \Vhen the plants have done blooming they may be dried off 

 gradually, and the pots placed under the stage on their 

 edges. They must be kept dry. In the following Spring, if 

 desired, the tubers may be repotted for indoor blooming or 

 planted out in the borders, where they will make a grand 



