40 BULBS AND TUBEROUS-BOOTED PLANTS. 



cient, it should not be allowed to drop below 65. A 

 higher temperature will cause the plants to grow spin- 

 dling and weak. 



After the seeds have germinated it is important to 

 keep the soil evenly moist ; if it is allowed to become 

 dry beneath the surface the plants will rapidly damp off. 

 It is the better plan to place the pots, or pans, in which 

 the seeds are sown, in larger pans of water up to an inch 

 below the level of the soil, for a few minutes, which 

 will afford the necessary moisture at the roots of the 

 young plants, and leave the tops dry, which will, in a 

 great measure, prevent the plants from damping off. 

 It is an injury to all the Begonias to wet the leaves. 



"When the plants have made their first pair of leaves, 

 they should be pricked out into shallow boxes, or potted 

 singly, in a soil a little heavier than that in which the 

 seed was sown. Then grow on in about the same tem- 

 perature, shading at first from the midday sun, but 

 always giving them an abundance of light and air. Shift 

 into larger pots when the ones in which they are grow- 

 ing are filled with roots. In this way plants from four 

 to six inches in height can be had to plant out into the 

 border by June 1st, which is sufficiently early, as they 

 do not like cool nights. When a really fine plant is 

 secured, it can be increased slowly by cuttings or by 

 division, when the young shoots start in spring. The 

 specialists in this plant keep all their extra fine and free 

 flowering plants for seed purposes, or for show plants, 

 and do not divide the tubers for several years. But the 

 main supply for garden decoration is kept up by young 

 tubers grown from seed. Tuberous Begonias flower freely 

 the first year from seed, but for brilliant effects older 

 plants are to be preferred. 



After flowering, the plants will naturally show a 

 disposition to rest ; they should then be gradually dried 

 off, and the tubers kept in dry sand until about the first 



