58 THE BOOK OF THE WINTER GARDEN 



thumb pots, or round the sides of larger ones, plunged 

 therein. Those taken early will, given intermediate 

 temperature throughout the season, fill 8-inch pots by 

 winter ; those taken in April make, with similar treat- 

 ment, handy little plants in 5-inch pots. Still smaller 

 plants are often useful for tables, etc. Another mode 

 of propagation may be resorted to where a large quantity 

 is required from a few plants. Large healthy leaves may 

 be dibbled in by their stalks into the cocoanut fibre of 

 the warmest case, and in a few weeks these will send up 

 shoots, and send down roots, when they may be taken 

 out and potted singly. To procure similar results to 

 those put in as shoots, leaves should go in six weeks 

 or so in advance of the former. 



Throughout the summer growth, a position in a moist 

 intermediate or even warmer house, slightly shaded, is 

 most suitable. For potting on as required, a compost 

 of 2 parts loam and I part leaf mould, peat, and a httle 

 fine brick rubbish may be used. But one sees good 

 plants in different soils. The smaller plants only require 

 one stake each, slinging the side shoots ; the large plants 

 require several. Those plants intended for suspended 

 baskets may be grown in pots with the rest, until 

 showing flower, when they may be transferred carefully 

 to the former, and their shoots allowed to fall. 



Watering twice a week with dilute manure water 

 (Clay's Fertiliser) is beneficial. 



Grown in cooler houses, or in frames, the foliage is 

 often of a poor colour. Quick growth produces plants 

 with less tendency to **rust." Flower buds produced 

 in summer should be pinched out when seen. 



The succession of flowers produced by these begonias 

 is remarkable, plants commencing to bloom in November 

 having continued up to April. When in flower these 

 and other begonias may go with the Chinese primroses, 

 etc., in the greenhouse, but an intermediate house suits 



