178 PLANT CULTURE 



varieties of Begonias for bedding, this is one of the best for borders 

 which get the benefit of full light from the north. (For the tuberous 

 sorts see p. 70.) 



Propagation. It is one of the species which form bulbels, or 

 resting buds, in the axils of the leaves. These bulbels, when ripe, 

 fall to the ground, and it is from them that the young plants grow 

 late in the following Spring. They come safely through a tempera- 

 ture of several degrees below zero. The plants thrive best in the 

 shade of dwellings, or anywhere except under the shade of trees, 

 and in positions where direct sunlight reaches them during the 

 middle of the day. The bulbels pass the Winter successfully fully 

 exposed on the surface of the soil, but precautions must be taken 

 to provide against rapid thawing and freezing. When the bulbels 

 are left to themselves they usually sprout too thickly together. 

 The weaker plants should therefore be thinned out, to give those 

 which are left full opportunity to develop, otherwise their period 

 of blooming will be short. To have plants early in bloom the bulbels 

 may be harvested shortly after the plants are done blooming, kept 

 during the Winter in a bottle and sown in time to have the plants 

 in 3-inch pots by the middle of May. 



BOCCONIA (Plume Poppy). B. cordata is probably the 

 most imposing in appearance of all hardy herbaceous plants, making 

 growths of from 6 to 10 feet high. It is a native of China and 

 Japan, and very hardy. The plant has a grayish green appearance. 

 The leaves are large and much cut or lobed. The flowers, borne 

 in large, terminal panicles, are not showy, but they harmonize 

 with the foliage. The plant is well fitted for isolated positions 

 on lawns, among shrubs, or for large herbaceous borders. While 

 thriving best in deeply worked, fairly rich soil it will succeed in stiff 

 and poor ground. 



Propagation. Seeds, of which a medium-sized plant will pro- 

 duce large numbers, are best for propagating in large quantities. 

 They should be germinated in April and the seedlings potted off 

 when small. The plant is also increased from suckers, which are 

 produced in abundance. 



CALLIRHOE. A genus belonging to the same family (]\Ial- 

 vaceae) as the Abutilon, C. mvolucrala, the most useful species, has 

 long, trailing stems, with fair-sized purplish red flowers in the axils 

 of the leaves. It spreads very rapidly during the Summer months. 

 A good subject for borders of moderate width. In C. i. lincariloha 

 the leaves are smaller — a good form for the rockery. It thrives in 



