TUBEROUS-ROOTED PLANTS. 37 



brownish-purple, pea-like flowers, and a native of Canada. 

 It requires a warm border at the foot of a sunny wall, and 

 a trellis for its graceful shoots to twine round. The tubers 

 will not require annual lifting. Increased by division of 

 the tubers. The only species is tuberosa. 



Arum. The Italian Arum (A. italicum) is a tuberous- 

 rooted plant which bears curiously-formed yellowish, 

 creamy, and green flowers, in the form of a spathe, in 

 spring. Its leaves are green veined with white. A 

 curiosity for culture in a well-drained, sunny border. Does 

 not require to be lifted. Increased by offsets. For other 

 so-called Arums see Dracunculus and Helicodiceros. 



Ascelpias tuberosa. A showy tuberous-rooted 

 perennial which does well in sandy soil on a warm border. 

 It is a very striking plant when well grown, and usually 

 flowers profusely in September and October. Increased 

 by division of the roots in autumn. 



Begonia. The single and double-flowered varieties of 

 the tuberous-rooted begonia are excellent and showy plants 

 for summer bedding. They do very well in partial shade, 

 as well as in sun, and if planted in good rich soil will make 

 a brave display of colour from June to October. Plants 

 may be reared from seed, as advised on p. 101, but these 

 do not flower so freely as one, two, or three-year-old tubers. 

 In the latter case the tubers should be started in boxes or 

 pots in heat in February, grown on in heat till May, then 

 hardened off and planted out six to twelve inches apart, 

 according to size, late in May. Prior to planting dig in 

 a liberal supply of decayed manure and leaf -mould, to 

 make the soil rich and encourage a healthy growth. In 

 dry weather give copious supplies of water. Early in 

 October lift the plants intact, and place them in boxes in 

 a sunny greenhouse to gradually ripen. When the foliage 

 withers twist off the leaves and stems, and a week or so 

 later store the tubers in cocoanut-fibre refuse in a cool, 

 dry, frost-proof place till February. 



