178 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



March 2, 1912. 



TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. 



The tuberous begonias have l>een general 

 favourite for many years as decorative sub- 

 jects for the conservatory and the flower 

 garden. Although fresh ideas and tastes 

 are being continually expressed in the gar- 

 den, resulting at times in some plants 

 losing much of their popularity, so far the 

 begonia has survived these changes, and is 

 still holding its own amongst the best 

 flowering plants for decorative purposes. 

 The introduction latterly of the crested and 

 frilled types has added greatly to the in- 

 terest of this useful group, which has also 

 been supplemente<l by Begonia Lloydi, a 

 variety of slender and floriferous habit, 

 suitable for growing in baskets. The diffe- 

 rent types are alike beautiful, and it chiefly 

 depends on the individual taste of a person 

 if any particular form is held in preference 

 to the others. 



young growths are an inch or tw^o in height, 

 and it becomes necessary to transfer them 

 to pots, quite a ball of soil will be found 

 adhering to the roots. Over-potting must 

 be guarded against, and as the tubers usu- 

 ally vary so much in size, judgment must 

 be used in choosing the size of pots. A 

 compost consisting of equal parts loam and 

 leaf soil, with plenty of sharp sand added, 

 will be found suitable for them at this 

 stage. 



One of the most essential points in the 

 culture of begonias is to keep the plants 

 as sturdy as possible; this can only be 

 done by giving them a light, airy pos'tion 

 near the glass in a house or pit where the 

 temperature does not fall much below 55 

 degrees. Admit air whenever favourable, 

 and avoid cold draughts. As soon as the 

 pots are filled with roots the young plants 

 must be transferred into their flowering 

 pots, and here again a little judgment must 



the direct rays of the sun^ is necessary to 

 preserve the colour of both flowers and 

 foliage. 



The plants wall in many cases require 

 stakes to support their stems, when they 

 are becoming well advanced in growth, espe. 

 cially many of the double kinds with large 

 heavy flowers. One neat stake to each stem 

 usually suffices, and any trusses of flowers 

 inclined to droop can be looped to this. 

 As the plants come into flower, they can 

 be removed to the conservatory or flowering 

 house, arranging them with light foliage 

 plants, such as Adiantum cuneatum or 

 Asparagus plumosus, which will greatly re- 

 lieve their heavy foliage. Colour blending 

 should also be carefully considered, as if 

 carried out tastefully the whole effect will 

 be greatly enhanced. 



Begonias in the Flower 



Garden. 



Tuberous begonias are also very acoom- 



In the n 



A MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY OF DOUBLE-FLOWEEED ITJBEROUS BEGONIAS ^ 



of Messrs, Blackraore and Langdon, Twerton Hill, Bath, who have been highly successful in the improvement Oi 



these .attractive flowers. 



Begonias in the Conservatory. 



No other plant gives us sucii a wealth of 

 blossom through the summer months for the 

 flowering house and conservatory. \yhen 

 grown for these structures it is possible, 

 with a little extra attention, to obtain some 

 remarkably fine specimens with enormous 

 flowers, and by starting the corms in 

 batches, at intervals, the flowering season 

 can be considerably extended. If an early 

 display is requii^d, it will be necessary to 

 start the corms in good time. These 

 quickly commence to grow w^hen introduced 

 into heat and kept moist. The usual prac- 

 tice is to plunge the tubers in shallow 

 boxes which have been three parts filled 

 with leaf soil, covering the top of the 

 tubers slightly; afterwards they are put 

 into a house or heated pit, where a tem- 

 perature of about 55 degrees is maintaine<l. 

 The leaf soil being kept moist quickly en- 

 courages root action, and by the time 



be used in choosing the size of the pot to 

 correspond with the habit of the plant. Six- 

 inch pots usually suffice under ordinary 

 circumstances, but if large plants are de- 

 sired, some of the most vigorous specimens 

 can be shifted into eight, nine, or ten-inch 

 pots, in which, if given good treatnient,they 

 will make fine specimens. An addition of 

 dried cow manure and soot to the compost 

 for this potting will be found very benefi- 

 cial. Careful watering is necessary until 

 the plants become well established, after 

 which they require a copious supply, espe- 

 cially during bright, windy days. Begonias 

 are gross feeders, and to have really good 

 plants with large trusses of flowers to last 

 in bloom for a considerable time, feeding 

 becomes a necessity. In my own experi- 

 ence I have found good liquid manure and 

 soot water to give better results than arti- 

 ficials, and safer to use. During hot, bright 

 weather light shad:ngj sufficient to break 



modating for summer bedding, and when 

 once sufficient tubers of flowering size nie 

 obtained it is not necessary to renew tn^ 

 stock annually from seeds, as is the ca^ 

 with many of the plants used for this pu " 

 pose. Through the winter months 

 tubers may be stored in any dry place, i 

 from frost. For brilliance of colourmg au 

 continuity of flowering begonias cannot ^, 

 surpassed, and with such a ^'^^^^ ^ „^ 

 shades available it is possible to use tne 

 in any colour scheme. It is of great 

 portance, to secure success in be<lding 

 begonias, to have well-grown plants P^j 

 out, which have been carefully l^^^^'^f f"^^^,^^ 

 Much time and labour will be saved b\ p 

 chasing corms that were raised 

 last year, corms that have been seJec 

 according to their respective shades 

 colour should be bought. 



Choose a' p"osition in which to pl^^"^ 

 where they will receive full l.ght aiui 



