346 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



It will be readily understood, as I depend on first crosses, how 

 much I welcome a good variety of any colour from another raiser; 

 every such variety obtained opens up a very large field of work, 

 increases the possibility of new breaks, and further lengthens the line 

 of progress. Of course every new introduction has to be very critically 

 examined and used very carefully at first, or the work of years may 

 be undone. 



It will now be interesting to compare some of the double varieties 

 existing twenty-five years ago with the more recent introductions. 

 This will help us to appreciate the advances made in the form, size, 

 and colour of the flowers. It will be observed that in the old varieties 

 the petals were small and the flowers did not conform to any particular 

 shape, whilst the varieties of the present day will equal in form the 

 choicest Roses and Camellias, and are larger in size and far more 

 varied in colour than either. 



This great alteration has been brought about by a very gradual 

 process of careful fertilization and the raising annually of a great 

 many thousands of seedlings, rigidly selected when in bloom. 

 Hundreds of varieties have been named, each of which has been the 

 selection from thousands, only to be superseded in a more or less short 

 time by others of higher quality. 



One of the chief charms of the double Begonia is its great diversity 

 of form, and whilst resembling many other flowers, such as the 

 Camellia, Rose, Hollyhock, and Carnation, there are many inter- 

 mediate types which cannot be said to resemble either. 



I trust this diversity of form will always be retained, and that 

 future raisers will not endeavour to work for any one type to the 

 exclusion of the others. 



In the year 1892, when the Begonia Conference was held, mention 

 was made of but two sections of tuberous Begonias, viz. single and 

 double. Now, however, we have two distinct new forms of singles, 

 the frilled and the crested (called by the Continental growers ' Crispa ' 

 and ' Cristata '). These are both of Continental origin and are valuable 

 classes, the frilled especially so. They are to be obtained in all 

 colours common to Begonias, and in many the colours are blended 

 beautifully. The combinations of white and pink, and yellow and 

 salmon, have a charming effect. The pure white frilled Begonia 

 often closely resembles a glorified Chinese Primula. The crested 

 varieties are to my mind more curious than pretty. The flowers are 

 single, with a conspicuous crest on the face of each of the four sepals. 

 This crest is often more highly coloured than the sepals, giving a 

 curious and often very pretty effect. 



We have lately added another section which we call basket Bego- 

 nias, because of their being specially well adapted to this style of 

 cultivation. They are all doubles, and their habit of growth, long 

 pointed leaves, pretty pointed sepals and petals suggest B. boliviensis 

 as being their progenitor, rather than any other species. They are 

 splendid subjects for the embellishment of the conservatory or any 



