CULTIVATION OF THE TUBEROUS BEGONIA. 



The tuberous begonia, when better known, is destined 

 to become one of our most popular flowers. Its free- 

 blooming qualities and lovely shades of color cannot be 

 excelled, if equalled by any class of plants, the costly 

 orchids not excepted. The great strides that have been 

 made by the hybrids since the introduction of B. Scdcni 

 have quite eclipsed the expectations of the most sanguine, 

 for now we have the single varieties with almost circular 

 flowers and ranging in color from the darkest crimson, 

 through all the intermediate shades of scarlet, pink and 

 white, to the deepest yellow, and the substance of the 

 flowers, together with the ease with which they can be 

 grown and their freedom from insects, will command for 

 them a foremost place in the near future. 



The double varieties are indeed most lovely objects, 

 for now we have them with erect stems and large flowers 

 looking us in the face like hollyhocks and camelias, and 

 such exquisite colors ! Those with slender stems have 

 also their advantages, being well adapted for hanging 

 baskets in a cool conservatory or elevated in a position 

 where they can be seen from below. The fact of their 

 not requiring attention in winter ought to commend them 

 to those not possessing a greenhouse, for the bulbs can 

 be stored away in a closet or any convenient place where 

 the temperature does not fall below 50° F. They must 

 not be put near a stove or hot pipes, as the heat is apt to 

 cause them to shrivel. 



To obtain new varieties necessitates their being grown 

 from seed, which should be purchased from a good strain 

 and be sown about January, or not later than Februar\' ; 

 for to obtain best results the larger the plants are by 

 May, the better chance they have of success afterwards. 

 My system of culture follows. In the first place, prepare 

 a clean seed-pan or pot by filling with crocks to within 

 two inches of the rim, over which place some half-rotten 

 leaves or rough material to prevent the soil from wash- 

 ing through and choking the drainage. Then prepare 

 some finely sifted leaf-mould with about one-sixth of 

 clean fine sand added, placing the rougher portions of 

 compost over the leaves, and finally adding not more 

 than half an inch of the fine soil ; press it gently with a 

 flat surface till it is perfectly level ; water it through a 

 very fine rose. After it has drained for an hour or so, 

 it is ready to receive the seed, which should be sprinkled 

 regularly over the surface, but on no account cover it 

 with soil or the tiny seedlings cannot push through. 



Place the pans in a temperature of about 70° and cover 

 with a sheet of glass to prevent evaporation ; the glass 

 should be removed at night and replaced in the morning 

 When the seedlings appear, which is usually in about 

 ten days, they must be removed altogether, and not be 

 allowed to get dry when germinating ; yet great care 

 must be exercised in watering, on account of the seed 



being so small and easily dislodged. When they begin 

 to make the third leaf they must be transferred into 

 other pans or shallow boxes well drained, and grown 

 along in the same temperature but carefully shaded from 

 bright sunshine. As they progress they need to be 

 placed in boxes, the plants about two inches apart each 

 way. Give sufficient air on all favorable occasions to 



