Tender Bulbs for Summer Flowers--By Richard Barton, 



ROOTS THAT CAN BE PLANTED DURING THIS MONTH FOR FLOWERS AFTER THE HARDY 

 ANNUALS HAVE DONE BLOOMING — HOW TO GET A SUCCESSION OF BLOOMS TILL FROST 



Tuberoses are the best 

 started at once in pots 



THERE are half 

 a dozen tuber- 

 ous plants upon 

 which we have to 

 depend for the 

 greatest quantity of 

 brilliant flowers in 

 the summer and 

 early fall, and which 

 can be planted dur- 

 ing the early days 

 of summer. These 

 roots are taken up 

 in the winter and 

 stored away from 

 frost, and but for 

 that little extra 

 detail give more re- 

 turn for the labor 

 and care of cultiva- 

 tion than any other 

 flowering plants. 

 They are really of 

 the simplest cultiva- 

 tion; if the soil is reasonably warm and not 

 over-wet they will flower to a certainty. 

 How to take up these roots in the fall 

 and care for them through the winter is 

 explained in detail in The Garden Maga- 

 zine for November, 1908, page 175. 



One of the most beautiful of the sum- 

 mer bedding plants is the tuberous begonia. 

 It has so many excellences that it is no 

 wonder that it has also a few drawbacks. 

 Among its excellences are its gorgeous 

 coloring and continuous blooming, but 

 its chief drawback is that it does n't thrive 

 with the ease of a geranium, which can stand 

 long spells of dry weather and exposure 

 to a blazing sun, perhaps flowering all the 

 better for it. This is precisely what the 

 tuberous rooted begonia will not do; its 

 foliage will be burnt, its flowers shrivel 

 and drop off, and the general effect will 

 be that, instead of a delight, the begonia 

 bed will be a failure. 



If one has a greenhouse, begonias can 

 be started into growth as early as March, 

 by placing the tubers in shallow boxes 

 upon a layer of moist sphagnum moss. 

 They can be placed moderately close 

 together, but so that they do not touch 

 each other, and enough moss can be added 

 to just cover the tops of the tubers. Cocoa- 

 nut fibre refuse is a good substitute for the 

 moss, but leaf mould, or even sand, will do 

 instead; only more care is needed with 

 the watering. The boxes, when filled, 

 should be placed in a temperature of about 

 55 degrees, and the moss or other material 

 kept alv/ays moist, but not wet, as too much 

 water will be likely to rot the tubers. 



In from two to three weeks the tubers 

 will be ready for potting. A rich com- 

 post, consisting of two parts sandy loam 

 and one part thoroughly decayed manure 



is best. Overpotting is not desirable; for 

 two years' old tubers pots four inches in 

 diameter will be large enough, and care 

 should also be taken not to pot the tubers too 

 hard. A very moderate firming is necessary, 

 but only sufficient to prevent the soil from 

 washing out of the pots when the plants 

 are watered. No higher temperature will 

 be needed, and the plants must be protected 

 from the full glare of the sun. 



Where there is no greenhouse the tubers 

 should be started on a hotbed a little later — 

 that is, about the beginning of April — 

 or there may be danger that the heat ol the 

 hotbed will not last until all fear of the 

 plants becoming frozen is past. Without 

 a greenhouse or a hotbed, it would be 

 scarcely worth while to attempt to bed 

 out begonias, because of the number re- 

 quired, and of the necessity for giving 

 the tubers an early start in order to enjoy 

 a long flowering season. But begonias 

 make beautiful window plants when grown 

 in pots, and kept indoors all the summer. 



Tuberous begonias should never be 

 planted out until all danger from frost 

 is past. In the neighborhood of New 

 York that would be the end of May or 

 the beginning of June. Because of the 

 necessity of partial shade the beds should 

 be on the north side of the dwelling house. 

 This will be found to be much better than 

 planting under a large tree because its 

 roots usually impoverish the soil in such a 

 situation, and there is often a lot of over- 

 head drip on to the plants. Have the 

 soil rich and friable, cultivated to a good 

 depth, and some old, decayed manure 

 well worked into it. The plants can 



then be set out, eight to ten inches apart, 

 gently firming the soil round each plant, 

 but taking care not to plant too deeply. The 

 tubers should not be buried more than two 

 inches, even including a light mulching of 

 old mushroom manure,or rotted leaves, which 

 is advisable immediately after planting. 



When the bed is finished give a good 

 watering. It is better not to wet the plants 

 overhead, but to water around them and 

 under the leaves. If at intervals during 

 dry weather the bed is watered in this 

 way there is no doubt but that it will be 

 a beautiful and gorgeous feature of the 

 flower garden until the frost. 



In the tuberous section of the begonia 

 family there are hundreds of varieties, but 

 only two classes, single and double flowering. 

 Named varieties can only be propagated 

 rather slowly 'and laboriously by stem or 

 leaf cuttings, or the not quite so satisfac- 

 tory method of dividing the tubers, but as 

 the general characteristics can be pre- 

 served and very easily propagated by means 

 of seeds, though with slight variations, 

 this has led to the production of various 

 "prize strains" of both single and double 

 types. These come a good deal cheaper 

 than named varieties, and the amateur is 

 perfectly sure of satisfaction with the pur- 

 chase of two years' old tubers of these 

 "strains" from any reputable dealer. 



DAHLIAS 



These are the best of the tender flowers 

 for late effects in the garden, and are among 

 the most easily grown of all plants. Full 

 directions for growing them were given 

 in last month's Garden Magazine. 



Tuberous begonias are the most satisfactory flowering bedding plants for shaded places 



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