142 



BEGONIA 



die of May or beginning of June, according to locality, 

 from 3%- or 4-inch pots. Although they grow fairly well 

 under trees, the north side of a building is to be preferred ; 

 but they must not be crowded. Plenty of light, with mois- 

 ture at the roots, and a mulching with half -rotted leaves 



203. Young plants starting from the incisions on a 

 Begonia leaf. 



in hot weather, will greatly benefit the plants. Water, 

 when necessary, under the leaves. See Bedding. 



The tubers should be lifted after the first light frost, 

 and stored. Seeds sown in March will produce flower- 

 ing plants by July or August, but 2-year-old tubers 

 are more satisfactory for continual blooming. The seed 

 may be sown in any shallow box or seed-pan, which 

 should first be filled with material which will give plenty 

 of drainage, over which place some finely sifted soil to 

 receive the seed. Scatter the seed thinly. Sufficient 

 covering will be given by simply pressing the soil down 

 level. Keep in darkness by covering with glass or vaper 

 for a few days, in a temp, of not less than 70. As soon 

 as the seedlings appear the covering must be removed, 

 and when the little plants attain roots about %in. long 

 they may be pricked into nicely prepared soil. In most 

 places in this country, Tuberous Begonias do not thrive 

 out-of-doors, but in some places and with careful treat- 

 ment they do well. They are very satisfactory for 

 blooming in a well-shaded greenhouse in the summer. 



The fourth section, the Rex Begonias, are grown en- 

 tirely for the beauty of their foliage. They may be 

 prop, by means of either shoot- or leaf-cuttings, the 

 latter being the better when plants have to be raised in 



quantity. Large and 

 well-matured, but still 

 healthy and vigorous, 

 leaves may have the 

 principal nerves cut on 

 the under side. The 

 leaf is then pegged or 

 weighted down on the 

 surface of a well- 

 drained propagating 

 bed. If carefully 

 shaded, roots will be 

 formed at every cut, a 

 tiny leaf will follow 

 (Fig. 203), and the lit- 

 tle plants may be in- 

 serted singly in small 

 pots. Another method 

 is to cut the large 

 leaves into triangular 

 parts, with a bit of the 

 main petiole at the tip 

 of each, and insert the 

 pieces about 1 in., with 

 the lower or thickest 

 end of the rib down- 

 ward (Fig. 204). Still 

 another method is to 

 cut the leaf in two, 

 across the veins (Fig. 

 205), and stand it edgewise in the propagating bed. The 

 young plants may be potted-up into small pots, using a 

 light, porous, sifted soil. Keep shaded in a low house 

 with a moist atmosphere. The soil may be gradually 



204. Plant arising from the base 

 (or tip) of a triangular leaf- 

 cutting. 



BEGONIA 



made coarser with each potting until, in the final shift, 

 an unsifted compost of 2 parts loam, 1 part leaf -mold, 1 

 part well-rotted manure, and 1 part sand, is used, add- 

 ing a sprinkling of lime. While watering, avoid wetting 

 the leaves as much as possible, and keep large, well de- 

 veloped plants in a shaded house, with plenty of ven- 

 tilation day and night during the summer. 



ROBERT SHORE. 



The Begonia is exacting in its requirements ; yet these 

 requirements are simple. It responds readily to intelli- 

 gent culture ; most of the varieties are extremely rapid 

 in growth, and a year's time will produce an excellent 

 specimen from a rooted cutting. For horticultural pur- 

 poses, Begonias are usually divided into three general 

 classes : the Tuberous-rooted, Rex, and Shrubby or 

 Flowering sections. Tuberous -rooted Begonias attained 

 a short-lived popularity in this country some 12 or 15 

 years ago, when they were imported in large quantities 

 from France and England and used as bedding plants. 

 It was hoped that they might share patronage with the 

 Geranium, but our burning summers and long-continued 

 droughts wrought such havoc with them that they 

 speedily fell into disfavor, and very few growers now 

 handle them. This is much to be regretted, for they are 

 gorgeous flowers, and careful selection has produced 

 blooms of enormous size and wonderful form, in the 

 most vivid shades of red, white, yellow and pink. 



The Rex division has been a great favorite for many 

 years. In no other class of plants are the rich metallic 

 shades of various colors found so satisfactorily blended 



205. Upright leaf-cutting of Begonia. 



as here, while the form and size of the Ivs. are of the 

 greatest variety ; those of the old Rex and of Mrs. Bon- 

 ner are frequently a foot and more in length, while little 

 Marquis Peralta makes a compact mass of tiny zoned 

 foliage averaging only 2 or 3 in. long. To the Rex va- 

 rieties showing bright green, pure silver, bronze, and 

 velvety green, have been added Lucy Closson and Louise 

 Closson, both showing bands of bright, rosy plum color, 

 and Mme. Gache, with its zone of light, dull red. A 

 class of Hybrid Rex contains some of the most useful 

 and beautiful of ornamental plants. They are nearly all 

 crosses between Lesoudii and Diadema. These all 

 show the Rex texture and general habit, while the Ivs. 

 are deeply notched and zoned ; they are more substan- 

 tial than the average Rex, and they make symmetrical 

 specimens with less trouble. Some of the principal 

 American varieties of this section are Anna Dorner, 

 Elsie Coles, Bertha McGregor, Flora Hill, Mrs. Shep- 

 herd, and Richmond Beauty. Rex Begonia culture is 

 simple. Soil should be a mixture of loam, woods earth, 

 sharp sand, and well-rotted cow-manure. It must be 

 light and porous. Temperature required is a warm 

 greenhouse for growing ; but grown specimens can be 

 hardened to a much lower temperature. They enjoy a 

 moist atmosphere, and must be 'shaded from hot sun- 

 shine. They have few insect enemies. Of later years 

 they have been subject to the attack of a very destruc- 

 tive fungous-like disease, but careful attention to han- 

 dling and propagation will keep it in check. The propaga- 

 tion of Rex Begonias is very simple, a leaf, or portion 

 of leaf with a strong midrib, rooting very readily in the 

 propagating bench with bottom heat. 



The Shrubby or Flowering Begonias comprise a num- 

 ber of ornamental sorts with inconspicuous flowers, and 

 also varieties that are huge bouquets of bloom. Among 

 the former are Albo-picta, Diadema, Nigricans, Mme. 



