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BEGONIA GROWING 



BRIEFLY GRASPED 



/1.S' the varieties improve nnd the methods uf culture are more thoroughltj, 

 understood, begonias take a firmer and firmer hold on the buying public. 

 Today they are among the most serviceable and profitable of pot plants.. 

 Their proper culture is here described by a notably successful grower of them. 



ITHIN the twelve years 

 during which we have been 

 making winter - flowering 

 begonias a specialty, it has 

 been gratifying to note the 

 great improvement in this 

 class of plants. Now they 

 are among the finest plants 

 florists have to sell and the 

 fact that they may be re- 

 tailed at moderate prices has led to their 

 being grown in large numbers. No win- 

 ter-flowering plant save the cyclamen is 

 grown so extensively. As the varieties 

 liave successively improved, interest in 

 the plant has grown. Request for a de- 

 scription of our method of culture has 

 I)roduced this article. 



For propagation alone we use an en- 

 tire house. The benches are made of 

 porous concrete consisting of six parts 

 of cinders or coke screenings to one part 

 of cement. The screenings are broken 

 into pieces from one-quarter to one and 

 one-half inches in diamete\and all fine 

 ashes are screened out. This mixture 

 makes an ideal propagating bench. It 

 is well drained, which is a matter of 

 exceeding importance. 

 These benches are filled 

 with about three inches 

 of clean sand. 



The best time to propa- 

 gate begonias is in No- 

 vember, although it may 

 be done as late as Janu 

 ary, if you then have the 

 plants from which to 

 ])ropagate. 



Propagating. 



Cuttings are m a d e 

 from leaves. These may 

 be removed by breaking 

 them off at the main 

 stem. If they are over 

 three . inches long they 

 should be cut to that 

 length with a sharp 

 knife. Place the leaves 

 fairly close together. 

 with about one-half of 

 the stem inserted in the 

 sand bed. Press down the 

 sand firmly, so that the 

 leaves will stand uj) 

 right as much as possi- 

 ble. A good watering is 

 given to settle the cut- 

 tings fairly well in the 

 sand. We maintain a 

 night temperature of 

 about 60 to 65 degrees 

 Fahrenheit. The cuttings 

 require a light shade un- 

 til well rooted, which * 



By J. A. PETERSON. 



takes about six weeks under usual con- 

 ditions. 



Early in January, or when the cuttings 

 are well rooted, they should be jjotted 

 into 2-incli jiots. Care should be taken 

 not to break the tender roots, nor should 

 they be ])otted too dee]). (Jreat cart- 

 should be exercised in watering. Esjie- 

 cially, do not allow the plants to be wet 

 on tile leaves during the niglit. At this 

 stage we maintain a night temperature 

 of 60 to 62 degrees. We use a light 

 soil for the first potting, consisting of 

 equal parts of humus, or well rotted 

 leaf-mold, and light loam, adding ten 

 per cent of sharp sand. Ventilation 

 should l^e given on every favorable oc- 

 casion. Do not attemjjt to grow the 

 plants too hot, or they will suffer later 

 on; grow your plants cool, in a tempera- 

 ture of '>S to 60 degrees at night. 



Keep Plants Clean. 



(iri'at care should l)e taken to keep 

 the j)laiits clean, not only by riMnoving 

 all dec.'iycd leaves, but also, when the 





.. -m 



'¥• >• 



Begonia Peerless. 



plants are well established in the new 

 soil, by seeing that they are sprayed 

 every week or ten days with a solution 

 of nicotine to keep away green fly and 

 mealy bugs. These two pests are the 

 worst enemies of young begonias. 



During the spring and early summer 

 months these begonias do not grow fast, 

 owing to inheritance from the male par- 

 ent. Begonia socotrana, which comes 

 from the island of Socotra and refuses 

 to grow during the summer months, but 

 from September on grows readily. 



About June, or wlien they are well 

 rooted, the plants should be given a 

 shift from 2-inch pots to 3 inch or 4-inch 

 pots, this time using a little stronger 

 soil and adding a small amount of well 

 rotted cow manure. Keep a moderate 

 sliiide on the glass at all times through- 

 out the summer. 



In August and September the final 

 potting may be done, u.-jing 5-inch and 

 6-inch pots, according to the strength 

 of the plants. From this time on, they 

 will grow rapidly. For this last potting 

 we advise using a somewhat stronger 

 soil, or one composed of about four 

 parts well rotted sod, 

 two parts leaf-mold, one 

 jtart old, well rotted cow 

 manure and one part 

 sand. Do not use any 

 fresh manures, as they 

 do more harm than good. 

 In fact, if you have a 

 good soil you can get 

 along without any ma- 

 nure. 



Water Carefully. 



Watering must at all 

 times be done carefully. 

 Keep the plants on the 

 dry side rather than too 

 wet, especially at night. 

 Syringe on exceedingly 

 warm days only, through 

 the summer. 



Begonias require plen- 

 ty of room at all stages 

 of growth. See that they 

 are not crowded on the 

 benches. When the plants 

 commence to bloom, 

 whidi is about Novem- 

 ber 1, keep the night 

 temperature at about 58 

 'degrees and no more. If 

 the i)lants are grown too 

 warm, the flowers will 

 not last. Wo have grown 

 some fine begonias in a 

 house with cyclamens, 

 where tlie night temper- 

 ature runs about 50 dc- 





