156 



THE GARDENERS* MAGAZINE, 



Febhuaet 24, 1912. 



FOLIAGE BEGONIAS, 



Though manj of the begonias that are 

 grown for the sake of their ibeautiful 

 flowers have very ornamental foliage, the 

 section to which the term " foliage be- 

 gonias is generally apphed consists of the 

 numerous garden forms of Begonia Rex 

 and hybrids obtained between it and a fevV 



ot'her species. 



Begonia Rex itself is a native of Assam, 

 and was introduced by M. J. Linden, of 

 Brussels. In an interesting catalogue now 

 before me, namely, that of Messrs. William 

 Rollinson and Sons, of Tooting, containing 

 the new a»nd rare plants for distribution 

 during the f>T)ring of 1858, Begonia -Rex is 

 there offere<l for the first time at a price of 

 two guineas each. Accompanying the de- 

 scription is a notice to the effect that the 

 above-named firm ha<l purchased the 

 above plant for distribution throughout 

 Great Britain and Ireland from that emi- 

 nent botanist, M. J. Linden, of Brussels. 

 Despite the fact that Begonia Rex was at 

 the time of its introduction so much ad- 

 mired for the heauty of its foliage, it was 

 not until 1884 that it was given a First 

 Clasis Certificate by the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society, 



Now it has proved so variable in itself, 

 and has been crossed and intercrossed in 

 such a manner that these "foliage be- 

 gonias" form an extensive class in which 

 the markings of the leaves, the size thereof, 

 and the rate of growth differs considerably. 

 Amoaig the more delicate^ yet at the same 

 time exquisitely coU)ured, forms, are some 

 varieties raised on tlie Ctmtinent between 

 the memhers of the Rex section and the 

 pretty little Begonia decora, which was 

 introduced from Penang by Messrs. J . 

 Veitch and kSous, and sent out in 1893. 

 Messrs. Sander, of St. Allbans, also raised 

 and distri^buted, about ten years later, 

 some fine varieties, the result, I believe, 

 of crossing Rex and B. Bowringeana. 

 Notewoi-thy among these last are His Ma- 

 jesty, Fearnley Sander, and ^Irs. H. G. 

 Moon. 



These foliage begonias are of consider- 

 able value for various decorative purpciscs. 

 In the first place, %^here there is an ar- 

 rangement of rockwork in a w^arm house, 

 they are seen tr^ considerable advantage 

 thereon, while for furnishing a back wall 

 they are equally useful. The fact that they 

 will thrive in a somewhat heavily shade<l 

 position stands them in gowl stead for this 

 purpose. In order to clothe a "wall it 

 should be faced with wire netting, standing 

 out a litV.e distance therefrom, and the in- 

 tervening space hlled with a mixture of 

 fibrous peat and sphagnum moss. In this 

 small plants should be insert^ as the 

 rooting material is gradually built up, this 

 method being preferable to sticking in the 

 plants after the soil is placed in position. 



Grown in pots five inches or six inches 

 in diameter these begonias are available 

 for the edging of giwips or for decorative 

 purposes in different ways, while in small 

 pots the bronzy tinted varieties have an 

 extremely pretty effect when dropped into 

 some of the small metallic jardinier^ now 

 so much in vogue. Although they will not 

 stand a great deal of exposure, yet the 

 plants quickly recover from any injury 

 when they are returned to more favourable 

 quarters . 



As is well known, their propagation by 

 means of Icaf-c-uttings is a very simple 

 matter, and if the mature leaves are laid on 

 a pan of sanily isoil, held in position by a 

 peg or two, and the midrib and principal 

 veins divided in a few places, young plants 

 will be quickly pushetl up from the surface 

 of the cuts, and when large enough they 

 can be potted singly. \\Tiere a bed of 



cocoa nut-fib re refuse, with a supply of bot- 

 tom-heat, is used, in which to plunge plants 

 of different kinds, the leaves may be laid 

 on the surface of the bed without any 

 covering, and under the*se conditions a 

 stock of young plants can be readily ob- 

 tained. 



I was particularly interested last autumn 

 in a house of these begonias at Chelsea, the 

 plants being neat, well furnished exam- 

 ples in 5in. pots. With such a number of 

 beautiful forms, it was difficult to make 

 a selection^ but the following were re- 

 corded in my note-book: Adolphe Pollock, 

 bronzy-green, with silver markings; Brian 

 Boru^ bright green and purple, with *>il- 

 very 'band ; Catherine Schmitt, bronzy- 

 green, dark margin, blotched white ; 

 Chicago, silver ground, green edge, dotted 

 silver ; Etoile d' Argent, silvery-pink ; 

 Finette, curiously freckled ; Gaspard 

 Crayer, dark green, heavily .spotted white; 

 His Majesty, carmine-rose ; Lecontre, silver 

 ground, spotted green; Isabella Bellon, sil- 

 very-red, purple shading ; tMastcrpiece, 

 silver ground, dark purple centre; Mrs. II. 

 G. Moon, silver ground, carmine centre; 

 President Carnot, bronzy-green, spo-tted 

 silver; Remily, silver ground, rose margin, 

 green centre ; and The Queen, bronzy- 

 purple, margin and centre edged green, 

 with silver dots. . W. T. 



GRASS ORCHARDS. 



Recently the oft-recurring subject, 

 whether or not a verdant covering of grass 

 over the roots of fruit trees, but more par- 

 ticularly apple trees, is a disadvantage, has 

 again boon diM Ussed in the horticultural 

 Press. Miir li has hrcn advanced, both for 

 and ^iii;ainst the system of grass culture, 

 and the whole question would have, in all 

 probability, again relapsed in the same in- 

 decisive state as before had not the results 

 of tlic AVoburn experiments been made 

 known. These experiments, which, by the 

 way, are far more conclusive and reliable 

 than any that could be conducted in a pri- 

 vate establishment, go to prove that a thick 

 covcrinfi of <rrass is detrimental to the health 

 and fruitfulness, as well as to the longevity 

 of fruit trees. That rank herbage cover- 

 ing the entire surface of the soil should 

 have an adverse effect upon the health and 

 fruitfulness of the trees is easily conceived, 

 but that this ishould caaise their untimely 

 death seems a more dubious point, espe- 

 cially n hen it is considered that there are 

 great numbers of old trees in all parts of 

 the country, in health and vigour, wbose 

 roots have been covered by grass, close 

 cropped by animals, it may be, for the 

 greater part of a century. Many of these, 

 of, course, may be survivals of extensive 

 plantations, their companions having 

 succumbe<l to untoward circumstances ; still 



it would not be difficult to discover regu- 

 lariy planttxl plots oif thriving trees, with, 

 to all appearajiee, soil enveloping their 

 roots, that had remained untouched by any 

 implement since the time of planting many 



years ago. 



A grass-covered orchard of fruit trees has 



a great fascination for most persons, and, 

 to my view, a no more fitting adjunct to a 

 farm house could be imagintnl. as, apart 

 from its value for fruit procUu ing, it only 

 requires surrounding by a substantial hedge 

 to make it an ideal nursery for young stock 

 in the early and most trying months of the 



year. 



Allowing that a long-continued covering 

 of grass-turf is injurious to the trees, still 

 it Ls not <lifficult to compromise the matter 

 by cultivating a portion of a given aiea 

 each year, or, if little or no value is set, 

 as stated, upon the grass in early spring, 



the wliole plot may be done at one time. 

 This at first sight is^uggests a complete 

 fcihange from grass to fallow, but, except 

 for a short time, it really is not so. Turf 

 turned with a spade at any time through 

 the winter months, or even as late as April, 

 completely hiding from view all trace of 

 verdure, will by midsummer have regained 

 all its wonted greenery, and, if not fed off 

 by animals, will require the aid of the 

 scythe to render it comfortable to traverse. 



There are here two plots or orchards 

 adjoining, each about an acre in extent. 

 One of these was planted about thirty-five 

 years ago, the other scarcely twenty years. 

 The former was cultivated upon the surface 

 for about ten years, when the task that 

 keeping down weeds implied led to its being 

 sown out with grass seeds. The latter has 

 always been cultivated — that is, the hoe 

 and rake are used during the summer and 

 autumn, and in spring, when pruning and 

 cleansing of the trees is acoomplisihed, the 

 whole surface is pointed over with a fork, 

 this latter process being done to facilitate 

 the summer work rather than from any 

 good results supposed to arise through dis- 

 turbing the soil more deeply. Upon the 

 first-named plot the turf is turned at inter- 

 vals, sometimes two or three years inter- 

 vene, but, other Avork permitting, every al- 

 ternate year is favoured. Last winter the 

 wholeiardhard was thus turned, and at pre- 

 sent, except for a slight roughness of sur- 

 face, no one would suspect that it had been 

 disturbed. As hinted, time cannot be found 

 annually for this, though the work can be 

 proceeded with -wlxen most other garden 

 operations are at a standstill. Where any 

 fear exists of grass being injurious to 

 fruit trees, a space from four to six feet 



around the bole of the tree treated in this 



rest. 



all 



fears at 



workman 



way will, I think ^ set 

 In carrying out the work the 

 should be instructed to insert the spade in 

 a sloping direction, whereby a turf about 

 two inches in thickness throughout is 

 raised, and is then turned into the space 

 it was ta-ken from, but the reverse side up- 

 permost. A good workman will do this m 

 such a way that an almost level surface is 

 presented when all is finished. 



The greatest advantage gained, so far as 

 I have been a;ble to observe, is that ot 

 moisture to the tree roots, for a -tlhick mass 

 of grass and its. fibrous roots absorbs so 

 much of the rainfall, especially after sea- 

 so-ns like last that the trees suffer accord- 

 ingly, and have no chance to recuperate 

 their energies until tbe winter is far ad- 

 vanced. With npturne<l turf, however, this 

 is reversed, and the decaying herbage must 

 be very helpful as a manurial agent. 



In conclusion, I may add that, between 

 the trees and the crops prod\iced in the two 

 plots mentioned, little or no difference is 

 .manifested, when the disparity between 

 their age is allowe<l for; whde 1^ 

 grass-covered area takes considerably 

 time and labour to keep in order comparea 

 with the other. J^^^^ I^^^" 



Galloway House, Wigtownshire. 



ided 



per 



walls or wires should, where space , 

 ' mits, be bought in as maidens g 

 accordinor to one's own ideas. if ^ jilt 

 plums, apricots, and cherries may be o 



every 



years 



roots 



condition when required to fill a ^^^^^"^^.i^p 

 the walls, and if transplanted early m th^ 

 autumn there is a reasonable prospect o 

 li^ht crop the following year. The tutiu 

 well-bein^ of the tree depends upon 

 stock; the union of stock and graft n?^^^ , 

 clean and without blemish; failing this 

 tree may a*^ well be consigned to the gara 

 fire. — W. Messenger. 



E 



