184 THE NURSERY LIST. 



Beet (Beta vulgaris). Chenopodiaceez. 



Seeds, sown very early, before frosts cease for the early 

 crop. 



Befaria. Ericacece. 



Propagated by cuttings of young wood, placed in sandy 

 soil, in gentle heat. 



Begonia. Begoniacecs. 



Increased by seeds, well ripened before they are gath- 

 ered, and kept very dry until sown. For the successful 

 raising of begonias, it is necessary to sow the seeds in 

 pans or pots of well-drained, light, sandy soil, which 

 should be well watered before the seeds are sown. The 

 seeds should not be covered with soil, or they may fail to 

 germinate. Place a pane of glass over the pans (Fig. 2), 

 and set in a warm house or frame, where a temperature 

 of about 65° can be maintained, and shade from the sun. 

 As soon as the plants are large enough they should be 

 pricked off into pans of light leaf-mold soil, in which 

 they may remain until large enough to be placed singly 

 in pots. 



By divisions of the rhizomes. Also increased by cut- 

 tings, which strike freely in pots of sand and leaf-mold, 

 and placed on a bottom heat of about 70°. Where large 

 quantities are required, a bed of cocoanut fiber in a stove 

 or propagating-frame may be used, and in this the cut- 

 tings may be planted, and remain until well rooted. Leaf 

 cuttings of the Rex or foliage types are in common use. 

 They succeed best when laid on sand or cocoanut fiber, 

 and shaded from bright sunlight. Select old, well-ma- 

 tured leaves, and make an incision with a sharp knife 

 across the principal nerves, on the under side. They 

 should then be placed on the sand or fiber, and held 

 down by means of a few pieces of crock. Under this 

 treatment plantlets will form on the lower ends of the 

 nerves of each section of the leaf, and these, when large 

 enough, may be removed from the bed and potted. 

 Fan-shaped pieces of leaves are often used. Leaf cut- 

 tings of begonia are described and figured in Chapter IV. 

 {Figs. 78, 79, 80.) Species like B. diversifolia, etc., may 

 be propagated by the tubers which form in the axils of 

 the leaves. B. phyllomaniaca produces plantlets on the 

 leaves and stems, and these may be removed and han- 

 dled like small seedlings. 



Tuberous Begonias (By E. G. Lodeman). — Tuberous 



