12 
BOTANICAL IJfDEX. 
plants are now numbered by the thousands. We have a few varieties possessing all 
the requisites of first rate decorative plants, either for the greenhouse, garden, table 
decoration, or grouping with ferns, etc., in large baskets, etc. 
Fig. 103 . — Begonia Hybrida. 
CFLTUBE BY SEED. 
In order to have plauts in flower 
by June, the seed should be sown 
in March, in a well drained seed 
pan, tilled with light sandy soil {en- 
tirely free from any mixture of manure, 
however well decomposed). The seed 
should be slightly pressed into earth 
and the pan placed in a moderate- 
ly warm place, placing a piece of 
glass over the pan, and covering the 
glass with thick paper until the 
seed have germinated, when all cov- 
ering must be removed, and the 
young plants shaded during bright 
sunshine. When sufficiently ad- 
vanced they should be pricked into 
pans of light soil, say one part good 
loam and one of finely sifted leaf 
soil. When' about one-half inch 
high pot singly in three-inch pots, 
keeping them in the greenhouse. When well established in the pots the season will be 
sulliciently advanced to shift into pots in which to flower, w Web- need not exceed 
six inches in diam- 
eter. The soil 
as before recom- 
mended, with the 
addition of about 
one-fourth of well 
decomposed cow 
dung. For the gar- 
den we plant out 
about May, w lien- 
the, ground is in 
good working or- 
der. During warm 
weal her they should 
he well watered, 
and a top dressing of 
well rotted mantle 
applied in July*. 1 
During the months 
of July, A u g ust, 
September and Oct- 
ober, these beauti- 
ful free - blooming 
plants are amongst 
the most beautiful 
of all our summer- 
blooming p Ian ts, 
and as ornaments 
for the greenhouse, 
garden, dwelling, 
rustic or hanging 
baskets, they are 
unsurpassed. 
PIG. 101. — Begonia WeUoniensis. 
1 1 f there is an v one class of plants more than another that we particularly admire, 
it is the Begonia, and about half suspect the large majority of plant-lovers share 
our admiration for them, or would, if they could only succeed in growing them to- 
perfection with anything like ordinary culture. But here is just where the tumble 
ami disappointment often arises, for every one that has attempted to grow Begonias, 
know bow difficult it is to prevent the soft and succulent, or almost watery, leaves 
and stems from decaying, (damping oft’,) whenever we have a few days oi damp 
weather. This is especially the case in the central portion ot the whole North Amen- 
