BEGOXIA. 



37 



greenhouse or for garden decoration. Upon their intro- 

 duction into this country they were not supposed, by our 

 florists, to be able to withstand our rare atmosphere, 

 drying winds and burning suns. The few that thought 

 differently persevered in their cultivation until they estab- 

 lished the fact that they would not only endure our 

 climatic conditions, but that they were just what these 

 plants required for their full development. The idea that 

 a low temperature and moist atmosphere were necessary 

 to the successful cultivation of the Tuberous Begonias, 

 was abandoned during the season of 1802, which was one 

 of the driest and hottest known for many years. 



In the nursery row — the proper place to judge of a 

 plant's usefulness — it appeared during that year to the 

 best possible advantage. It showed, also, just what must 

 be done to insure success^ and that it can withstand ex- 

 treme heat and excessive drouth as well as almost any other 

 bedding plant. The principal point learned in regard 

 to its culture is, that it must be treated as a plant and 

 not as a bulb. The enthusiastic florist, seeing the many 

 good qualities of the plant, has led amateurs to believe 

 it could be treated as a bulb, and planted out in the 

 same manner as the Gladiolus or Tigridia, and kept dor- 

 mant during the winter in the same manner. This is a 

 great mistake, as the tubers will not endure as long a 

 period of rest, and cannot be exposed to the air for a 

 long time without seriously injuring their vitality. The 

 tubers must be kept in dry earth or sand, until they 

 show signs of growth, which will be not later than the 

 first of March, then they may be started into rapid 

 growth. After the eyes are fully developed the tubers 

 may be divided; each eye will make a plant. Then 

 they are to be treated in all respects like greenhouse 

 phnts, and grown on until the proper season for their 

 planting out. This is not before the first of June, as 

 Begonias are quite sensitive to cold nights, but not at 



