THE TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. 



25 



May or the beginning of June. The only preparation 

 necessary for these plants is the same as is usually made 

 for all other bedding plants The best sized plants for 

 bedding are those growing in three-and-one-half or 

 four-inch pots. When bedding out, the earth in every pot 

 should be thoroughly moistened by abundant watering 

 or by dipping the pots into a bucket of water, so that 

 the plants will not suffer from drought before their 

 roots are able to take hold of the soil in the bed. A 

 slight shad- 

 ing, just X-,/ ^ 

 enough to 

 break the 

 direct rays 

 of t h e s u n, 

 for a few 

 days after 

 planting, will 

 be of materi- 

 al benefit to 

 the plants, as 

 it enables 

 them more 

 quickly to re- 

 cover. Light 

 canvas, 

 branches of 

 trees, etc., 

 are excellent. 

 Now, all that 

 is needed is 

 to see that 

 the plants 

 never suffer 

 for the want 

 of water, 

 a n d it may 

 be neces- 

 sary to give 

 them an occa- 

 sional water- 

 ing in any 

 dry spell 

 which may 

 occur during 

 the hot sum- 

 mer months ; 

 such water- 

 ings, how- 

 ever, should 



always be done in the evening. As regards the arrange- 

 ment of these beautiful begonias in bedding out, the 

 same ideas can be followed as with geraniums, coleus 

 or other bedding plants. Masses of solid crimson, 

 scarlet, pink, rose, yellow, white, and the various in- 

 termediate shades, can be worked out to suit the taste. 

 If the foregoing directions on the cultivation of these 

 most satisfactory plants are followed, the beds or groups 

 of tuberous begonias will surpass all other bedding plants. 

 Not only are the plants superior for bedding purposes. 



Fig. 2. Single Tuberous Begoma 



but for cut flowers they are as good as anything that 

 can be had, and one need never be without flowers on the 

 table while having a bed of these beautiful, most satis- 

 factory and abundantly-blooming plants. The plants 

 can be purchased as reasonably as almost any other 

 class of bedding plants. When once obtained, the 

 bulbs or tubers which are produced over the roots and 

 under each flower stalk can be used year after year, 

 producing stronger and more vigorous plants every suc- 

 cessive sea- 

 son. The tu- 

 bers, or bulbs, 

 should be 

 lifted, after 

 the first frost, 

 and stored 

 away in the 

 same manner 

 as dahlias, 

 gladiolus o r 

 ca n n a s . — 

 H. A. SiE- 



BRECHT, New 



Roc/u'lle, New 

 York. 



TUBERO U S 



Bego N I A S 



Species and 

 Cult u r e . — 

 Tuberous be- 

 g o n i a s are 

 truly garden- 

 ers' plants. 

 The race has 

 been obtained 

 and e s t a b - 

 lished by the 

 florists within 

 a short time. 

 The present 

 strains have 

 been pro" 

 duced from 

 Begonia B 0- 

 liinensis, B . 

 Pearcei, B. 

 Veitiliii and 

 B. Davisi as 

 the parent 

 stocks, by hy- 

 bridizing, selection and cross-fertilization : it is doubt- 

 ful if the blood of B. Koe'-Ji, B. Wclloniensis, B. divers- 

 ifolia, etc., enters into them, and no hybrids have 

 been obtained with the non-tuberous varieties. The 

 present perfection and development is largely due to 

 Veitch, Laing, Cannell, in England, and to Van Houtte 

 and Lemoine with others on the Continent. 



Tuberous begonias are certainly a charming and 

 desirable class of plants, showing a wide range in color 

 from the pure and creamy whites, through the pinks and 



