j^K^HOBAHLY no family of plants has been hybridised with such 
success ns this, the result being flowers, both double and 
single, of innumerable shades of colour, ranging from pure 
white through rose and pink to intense crimson and fiery scarlet, and 
from the deepest yellow to tawny brown and brilliant orange. 
It is the custom in the trade, immediately they raise a good variety, 
to hybridise it and get seed, from which they get bulbs, and sell as 
identical with the parent ; but it is a well-known fact that the offspring 
raised by this means is rarely as good as the original, so that the 
result is very disappointing to purchasers. We, on the contrary, have 
learned by experience to propagate direct from the choice kinds 
without a second generation intervening, so that our friends can rely 
absolutely on obtaining plants true to name. 
We have much the largest, finest, and best kept collection in the 
world, and although we were the first who were awarded a Gold Medal for this family, and have ever 
since maintained and improved upon them, yet, because we have been fortunate enough to he able to 
sell all the named varieties we could get without advertising them, it has been thought we were far 
behind those who made their strain more public. This is quite a mistake — we are far in advance of 
any other grower of this class, and the last two years have made such immense strides, both in 
hybridising and raising seedlings of sterling merit and growing them, that neither their size or colour 
has ever been equalled. We have thousands of seedlings selected in their various colours, and but a 
trifle inferior to the named varieties and we have good reason to hope that during next summer we 
shall far exceed our previous efforts. Even such expert critics as Messrs. Gumbleton and I’oe have 
described our Begonias as wonderful. We invite all who take an interest in them to visit ns any 
time from June to October. 
Their culture is of the siinjilest. Pot up the tubers in January, with the crowns just above the soil, 
in a compost made up of three parts peat and sand and the remainder light loam, using pots just 
large enough to take the bulb ; start them into growth in a warm greenhouse, and when they have 
made some young wood, shift them into G, 7, or 8-inch pots, using more loam in the compost than 
when first potted. They wilt speedily commence to show blossom, and when they begin to bloom, 
supply them with our Real Manure (see directions at end of Catalogue), and be careful that they 
are not placed in a temperature above GO®; excessive fire heat and glaring sun heat are most injurious. 
Above all, keep them growing, and never let them get a check. Pick off all seed-pod hlooms imme- 
diately they apjtear. 
BEGONIAS. 
itT is welt known throughout the whole floral world that our strain is in every way different and 
^ far ahead of all others — hahits altogether dwarfer, flowers larger, with greater brilliancy, and 
more distinct colours. As we have before said, in character 
they are very much like a potato. In winter place the 
tuhers on the top of small pots, three parts full of soil, in 
some warm, dry, light corner of the greenhouse, so that 
they may be examined every week ; and if they are found 
to be at all mouldy, they must be dusted immediately with 
sulphur. Out of this hairy-like tuher, as spring, approaches, 
a small red hud will show forth from the centre ; then repot 
into a good, rich, light peaty soil, just leaving the hud 
visible, and in about a fortnight leaves will begin to unfold, 
and another fortnight, in a nice warm, moist temperature 
of 60®, blooms will be showing ; and a month after this let 
the plants he shifted into 5 or G-inch pots. In a month or 
six weeks the pots will be filled with roots, and if large 
plants are wanted, shift into a 7 or 8-inoh pot, for deep, 
good firm potting, as per engraving, which it fully 
illustrates. Be sure that there are no green fly ; if so, the 
buds will drop off, but it is very seldom that insects attack 
them. Be very particular never to allow them to become 
dry ; if so, they are injured for the season, and during hot, 
dry weather, give two waterings, and they will grow and 
( 12 ) 
