304 The Cultivation of Begonias. 



The annexed article furnishes a large list of sorts worthy 

 of possession. We have never seen more than half of them 

 under cultivation ; that number affords a very fine variety, 

 though undoubtedly all are equally desirable, and Avorthy of 

 cultivation in large collections. Such as we have found the 

 most interesting and suitable for amateurs, are the following : 

 — nitida, lucida, coccinea, albo coccinea, parviflora, manicata 

 fachsoides and f. alba, incarnata, sanguinea, cinnabarina, and 

 argyrostigma : — 



There are but few gardens, whether public or private, ei- 

 ther of amateurs or nurserymen, where the cultivation of 

 plants receives any share of attention, which do not possess 

 some species of the interesting genus Begonia, which is one 

 of the most extensive of tropical plants at present cultivated. 

 They are all herbs of a succulent nature, and are very re- 

 markable for the singularity and great uniformity of their 

 leaves, which are one-sided, resembling an ear. Some of 

 them are very pretty, and many of them are exceedingly 

 handsome, both in foliage as well as flower : and av hen in a 

 good state of cultivation they form a most important feature 

 in hothouse decoration during the latter part of winter, and 

 throughout spring and summer. They are chiefly stove 

 plants of free growth, are very easily propagated and culti- 

 vated with facility, in a moderate stove temperature, requiring 

 to be grown in a light compost composed of good peat, leaf- 

 mould, and silver sand, with a little loam, and potsherds 

 broken to about the size of a nut, sufiicient to ensure porosity 

 with good drainage, which is indispensable, particularly to 

 this class of plants. Water should be given at all times 

 cautiously at the roots. Never allow them to become at all 

 soddened, or they will soon show symptoms of decay. Syr- 

 inging overhead should be withheld during autumn and win- 

 ter, and given only at other times when the leaves can soon 

 become dry again. A few of them succeed well in a green- 

 house. When a genus contains a very extensive number of 

 species, similar to that of the Begonia, it may reasonably be 

 expected that the greater portion of them are only interesting 



