POPULAR GARDEN PLANTS. 



411 



well filled with roots. It is better not to water 

 them for a few days after repotting. Drain the 

 pots well for the last shift, placing some moss 

 or fibre over the drainage. Newly-potted plants 

 require careful watering until the roots have 

 taken hold of the new soil. From June on- 

 wards plants grown in the greenhouse should 

 be aired freely, avoiding strong draughts night 



Fig. 516.— Tuberous Begonia, double. 



and day. When the pots are well filled with 

 roots, cow-manure water will help the flowers 

 to brightness in colour and large size. A small 

 quantity of soot may be added by tying it up 

 in a bag and stirring it in the water. Artificial 

 manures, if used at all, must be used very 

 sparingly. Some of the plants require to be 

 staked, but those of sturdy habit do not need 

 support. Varieties with weak stems do better 

 in baskets, allowing the stems to hang down. 

 For use in the flower-garden, varieties with 

 decided colours and sturdy habit should be 

 selected. A sheltered position is best for them. 

 Of course it will not do to plant the dry tubers 

 at once in the open ground. They must be 

 started in a heated pit or hot-bed not later than 

 the first week in April, but the heat must not 

 be so excessive as to injure the tubers. 



Begonia (Miscellaneous). — Under this head- 

 ing we include those Begonias which are shrubby 

 or evergreen, and which usually flower most 

 profusely in winter and spring, although with 

 a little management they may be had in flower 

 at almost any time. The majority are true 

 species, but there are also now numerous hy- 

 brids which are improvements upon the species, 

 and there is a prospect of a race of Begonias 

 of this section which will fill as large a place 

 among winter- flowering stove and green- 

 house plants as the tuberous section does 

 among those of summer. 



The cultivation of the whole of those here 

 mentioned is as easy and on the same lines 

 as that of Coleus or Fuchsia, the only differ- 

 ence being in the temperature they require, 

 which should be that of an intermediate 

 house (55°-70°). They are easily propagated 

 from cuttings at any time of the year. Those 

 that do not branch naturally should be made 

 to do so by stopping. They prefer an open 

 soil, moderate watering, and shade from 

 bright sunshine; they object to strong stimu- 

 lants, weak liquid manure now and then 

 being all they require in the way of extra 

 nourishment. Most of them mature seeds 

 (hybrids are, of course, not capable of pro- 

 pagation in this way), which should be sown 

 and treated as for Gloxinias. The follow- 

 ing is a selection of the best species and 

 hybrids : — 



B. albo-picta — Shrubby, leaves 2 inches, green with 

 white circular spots. Brazil. 



B. coccinea (corallina). — Stems Bamboo-like. 6 feet 

 or more ; leaves green ; flowers numerous on drooping 

 peduncles, blood-red, very durable. Brazil. 



B. decora. — Stem short ; leaves hairy, coppery-red 

 with yellow bands. Perak. 

 B. Evansiqna. — Tuberous with annual stems ; leaves 

 red and green ; flowers on slender axillary stalks, rose- 

 coloured. Bulbils numerous in leaf-axils. China, &c. 



B. fuchsioides. — Root-stock woody, stems tall : leaves 

 small, red when young; flowers rich scarlet in drooping 

 panicles. Mexico. 



B. gogoensis. — Stem tuberous ; leaves oval with 4-angled 

 stalks, green with bronzy blotches, red underneath : flowers 

 small, pink. Sumatra. 



B. Haageana. — A grand plant, forming a large bush 

 with hairy, brown-green leaves, and 'long stout peduncles 

 with large persistent rose-coloured flowers. Brazil. 



B. heraclei folia. — Stem a short rhizome : leaves large, 

 palmate, with long, fleshy, hairy leaf-stalks : flowers on 

 tall, branched panicles, small, rosy-white. Mexico. 



B. imperialis. — Stem short; leaves heart-shaped, hairy. 

 brown with bands of gray-green. Flowers on erect stalks 

 3 inches long, small : maculata has more conspicuous 

 blotches ; smaragdina has green leaves. Mexico. 



B. incarnata (insignis). — Stem 2 to 3 feet: leaves 

 medium, reddish beneath ; flowers rose-coloured, numer- 

 ous, on arching peduncles. There are numerous varieties. 



