24 



TUBEROUS BEGONIAS AGAIN. 



the ground in open, dry, sunny situations in early sum- 

 mer helps them greatly. Don't let them become over- 

 crowded in the beds, else they will cause one another 

 to rut, particularly in wet weather. Have a few plants 

 always in reserve to fill up gaps in the beds, that may 

 occur by accident ; they can be lifted with good balls, 

 and transplant well, no matter how far advanced in 

 growth they may be or what the time of year is. 



As pot-plants for summer or fall use they are superb, 

 but save them from wind ! In fall they are particularly 

 fine, at least up to, yes, even to the end of, the chrysan- 

 themnm season. 



As winter decorative plants, either in the house or 

 greenhouse, this class of tuberous-rooted begonias are 

 not a success, for they insist upon resting at that time. 

 For cut-flowers for home use they are splendid ; there 

 is a rareness, richness and elegance about their blos- 

 soms peculiarly their own. But they are so fleshy, and 

 when bruised so easily tarnished, that like the camellia 

 they are of no use for shipping, and hence are not likely 

 to be grown for cut-flowers by commercial florists. — 

 Wm. Falconer, Queens Co., N. Y. 



TUBEROUS BEGONIAS AS POT-PLANTS FOR AMATEURS. 



I consider these the coming plants for amateur flori- 

 culture, because — first, they are plants of wonderful 

 beauty in form and color ; second, they are so easy of 

 cultivation that any one who can grow a geranium can 

 grow them to perfection ; third, they are profuse bloom- 

 ers all through the summer and well into the fall ; fourth, 

 they can be carried through the winter with little care. 



I have grown tuberous begonias for two years. The 

 first season, though ignorant of their requirements, I 

 had pretty fair success. Last year I ' ' studied up, " and 

 my success was satisfactory. How do I manage them ? 

 Well, in the first place, I prepare a compost made of 

 one part turfy matter, one of leaf-mold and one of 

 sand. You may think this too much sand, but in my 

 experience begonias of the rex and tuberous classes do 

 better in such a soil. I start the tubers in March, in 

 three-inch pots, simply crowding the tubers into the 

 soil, water well, and set away in a dark corner until 

 sprouts show, say a week or ten days. As soon as 

 growth has fairly set in, I bring the pots to the light and 

 put on just enongh soil to cover lightly the tubers. At 

 no time should much water be given. I find that rex 

 begonias, which many consider almost semi-aquatic, do 

 much the best when kept pretty dry at the roots. They 

 like a moist atmosphere, however, and in these respects 

 the tuberous section resembles them. 



I let the plants grow along for a month or six weeks 

 in the three-inch pots, without forcing. By that time 

 examination will generally show that their roots have 

 reached the sides of the pot, and then I shift to five-inch 

 pots, which are quite large enough to enable them to 

 bloom well. If but one or two sprouts start at first, I 

 pinch them off until at least four or five show, in order 

 to induce a bushy growth. Pinching back, as a general 

 thing, forces two shoots where there was one to begin 



with. As fast as the stalks elongate, tie them to small 

 stakes, as they are tender and easily broken. At no 

 time give more than enough water to keep the soil just 

 moist all through. Provide at least an inch of drainage. 



Late in May, if started in March, the plants will begin 

 to flower. Do not let the first buds develop. The result 

 will be more satisfactory if the flowering energies are 

 restrained until a good top is secured. Then let them 

 bloom to suit themselves. 



It is difficult to imagine a finer show of color than a 

 good collection of these begonias affords. I have them 

 in purest white, scarlet, crimson, Indian red, cinnabar, 

 salmon, rose and golden-yellow. The range of color is 

 wider than in the chrysanthemum, and more brilliant. 

 With the exception of yellow, we have no very brilliant 

 color among chrysanthemums, but the reverse is true 

 with these begonias. And those colors that are not in- 

 tense are of the most extreme delicacy. I have one 

 pale rose-colored variety that rivals a La France rose in 

 beauty of tint. The yellows are extremely vivid, and 

 one good plant will light up a large collection like a 

 burst of sunshine. 



They continue to bloom until October. Then the 

 leaves turn yellow, which is the plant's way of telling 

 you that it is tired, and wants rest. Then gradually 

 withhold water until the top has all fallen. Set the pots 

 where they will be safe from frost until spring. In 

 March the tubers are to be shaken out of the old soil 

 and put in small pots to start. on their second summer's 

 work of beauty-giving. — Eben E. Rexford, Wiscoiisin. 



AS BEDDING-PLANTS. 



Perhaps no class of plants has ever made so much 

 stir amongst the florists, or become so popular in so 

 short a time, as the tuberous begonias ; and no wonder, 

 for all who see for the first time their profusion of large, 

 magnificently colored flowers, are captivated with their 

 beauty. Though the most successful method of culti- 

 vating them is not yet fully understood by the people 

 generally, they are of such pleasing habit that any lover 

 of plants can grow them, and have an abundance of 

 bloom. My begonias last summer were planted in a bed 

 along the east side of the house, and were a source of 

 delight to all our visitors. The sun shone directly upon 

 them during the forenoon, and did not injure them in 

 the least — the foliage remaining healthy and green, while 

 the flowers were produced in the greatest profusion. 

 Many of the blooms measured four or five inches across. 

 The soil is a heavy limestone, in which is mixed a large 

 amount of well-rotted stable manure and sand. I do 

 not think they would have been so luxuriant, or the 

 flowers so large, had they been planted out in full ex- 

 posure to the sun, as a few of the exposed plants indi- 

 cated. They give the best results if partially shaded all 

 day, or planted where they are shaded in the afternoon 

 only. The flowers of pot-grown plants are not quite so 

 large as of those bedded out. 



Though tuberous begonias are sometimes propagated 

 by cuttings and division of the tubers, they are easily 



