THE BEGONIA. 109 



cuttings three inches long are quite enough. Insert 

 them half-way in the soil, and plunge the pots con- 

 taining them up to the rims in plunging material of 

 some kind over a warm tank, or in a propagating-pit 

 over hot-water pipes, &c. Give water sparingly at 

 first. The old cut- back plant should be subjected to a 

 good lively heat, and have an abundance of water, to 

 induce a free young growth for flowering the following 

 season. 



The Begonia (Begoniacece). 



This is a genus too well known to require much 

 detailed description here ; but being a splendid as well 

 as a useful class of plant (although comparatively so 

 few of them are to be seen in common greenhouses or 

 windows, for which they are admirably suited), I may 

 venture to make a few remarks upon them. 



This genus is no doubt one of the most diversified 

 in character of any we possess, as subjects of the stove 

 and greenhouse. We have two distinct classes of it, 

 viz. the bulbous and the evergreen shrubby class. 

 B. Fuchsioidcs and B. Rex may be taken as two extreme 

 types of the shrubby class, and B. Sedenii as a type of 

 the bulbous class. Each of these divisions possesses 

 numerous varieties, all of which are beautiful in the 

 extreme, either as regards their foliage or their flowers. 

 Nothing can surpass a well-grown specimen of B. Rex, 

 with its large zebra-like marked leaves. The same may 

 be said of B. Fuchsioides. Nor can any plant or class 

 of plants equal a well-grown B. Sedenii. Strong bulbs 

 of this variety may be easily grown into specimens 

 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet high, as full of large 

 crimson flowers as any scarlet Tom Thumb Geranium 

 can possibly produce. 



The Begonias are easy to grow, and will continue in 

 flower for many months. The bulbous classes die down 

 in the autumn, when the bulbs must be kept dry 

 during the winter season, but thev may remain in the 

 same pots, and be started into growth in the spring in a 

 mild heat. Give no water, or but very little, until signs 



