44 



AZALEA BEGONIA. 



VARIETIES. 



Azalea Amcena, flowers double purple, produced in great pro- 

 fusion in mid-winter. 



A. Charles Quint, rose. 



A. Fielden, white, very early. 



A. Indica Lateritia, salmon. 



A. Iveryana, pink and white. 



A. Minerva, scarlet, profuse. 



A. Narcissiflora Plena, six weeks in bloom. 



A Punctata, variegated, fine. 



A. Punctata Omnicolor, early bloomer. 



BEGONIA. 



The Begonia is named in honor of Michael 

 Begon, a Frenchman and a promoter of botany. It 

 is a native of South America, West Indies and China 

 and is a fine genus of plants, remarkable for the varied 

 and beautiful foliage of many varieties, and the 

 splendor and profusion of the flowers of others. Their 

 immunity from the attacks of insects, their capacity 

 to endure drought, although they prefer moisture, 

 their delight in warm temperature, and their grow- 

 ing well alike in partial shade or bright sun, all 

 conduce to make them excellent house plants. 

 While their foliage is their chief attraction the 

 fringe-like flowers of some varieties, shading from 

 white to scarlet, are very beautiful. 



SOIL, TEMPERATURE AND TREATMENT. 



They thrive well in a compost of two parts loam, 



