60 
The Illustrated Guide for Amateur Gardeners 
Daniels’ Choice Florists’ Flower Seeds. 
Begonias— Tuberous-rooted Hybrids. 
This magnificent class of handsome flowering plants has been highly improved of late years, and 
being so admirably suited for greenhouse or conservatory decoration, and for bedding out, should be 
grown by every one having accommodation for them. 
DOUBLE- FLOWERED BEGONIA. 
Sow the seeds in February or March on the surface of well-drained 
pots or pans of rich sandy loam and finely sifted leaf -mould, and place 
in a heat of about sixty-five degrees. When sowing make the soil 
tolerably firm, level and sprinkle the surface with tepid water, after which 
sow the seeds; no covering of soil is necessary, a piece of glass placed over 
the pot to retain the surface moisture being all that is required. As the 
seed of Begonias does not germinate very quickly or evenly, and a long 
interval will often occur between the first and last plants coming up, 
the j^ung seedlings should be carefully lifted as soon as large enough 
to handle, and pricked into pots or pans to grow on, and this will make 
room for the succeeding young plants. 
Those sown in February or March if grown on freely will commence 
blooming in June, and will make really fine plants for the succeeding 
year. Seeds may also be sown in June or July, the plants of which 
will form nice healthy roots before Winter. The roots maybe stored 
during Winter in a similar way to Dahlias, and should be kept dry; but 
they should not be subjected to a lower temperature than forty-five or fifty 
degrees. The tuberous-rooted Begonias are all charmingly suited for the 
decoration of the greenhouse, conservatory, or window, and planted out of 
doors in fairly sheltered positions make tine showy beds, and are much 
superior to Geraniums. 
per pbt. — 8. d. 
228 DANIELS’ PRIZE SIN G-LE. Carefully saved from 
a grand collection of the choicest English varieties, 
will produce some splendid flowers ... ... ... 2 6 
22 ^ ,, ,, „ ... smaller pkt. 1 6 
230 DANIELS’ PRIZE DOUBLE. A superb strain, 
carefully hybridised, saved from fined varieties ... 2 G 
231 „ ,, ,, ... smaller pkt. 1 6 
232 
233 
234 
235 
Fibrous-rooted Begonias. 
per pkt.— s. d. 
Sempernorens alba^ Useful varieties for bedding out or (1 0 
„ rosea ) edging. Highly recommended \l 0 
Sehmidti. White, shaded with rose. Very free bloomer. 
Sown in heat in February may be had in bloom throughout 
the Summer and Autumn .. ... ... " ... 1 6 
Rex, Varieties. Beautiful plants for the stove or green- 
house. Saved from choicest sorts ... ... 1 6 
Cyclamen Persicum. Cockscombs. 
The best time for sowing the seeds is in October or November, 
and again in January, February, or March, for a succession. 
When sowing, use a light rich soil, press down firmly into the seed 
pots or pans, placing the seeds about half an inch apart on the 
surface, and covering them about a quarter of an inch deep with 
soil ; water carefully and place in a gentle heat. As the young 
plants become large enough to handle they should be carefully 
lifted and potted off singly into small pots, shifting them into 
larger as these fill with roots, and finishing with the forty-eight 
size, which will be large enough for bloomiug. The best soil to 
use for potting Cyclamens is composed of about equal parts of 
fibrous loam and leaf-mould, with a portiou of well-decayed 
cow-dung and sufficient silver sand to keep the soil porous. The 
essential conditions of successful cultivation of Cyclamens are 
a moist and even temperature — sudden changes are especially to 
be avoided — a free circulation of air, an abundance of light and 
water, and the plants should be kept free of insects. 
per pkt. — s. d. 
236 DANIELS’ CHANT PRIZE MIXED. 
A magnificent strain of a highly improved type, 
having large, beautifully mottled coriaceous 
leaves and stout flower stalks. The blooms, 
which are carried well above the foliage, are of 
splendid size, each flower frequently measuring 
from two and a half to three inches in length ... 2 6 
237 „ „ „ smaller pkt. 1 6 
238 Wiggins’ Covent Garden. A fine large- 
flowered strain of beautiful varieties ... 1 6 
239 Persicum, choice mixed. In fine variety ... I 0 
Sow the seeds in February or March iu pots or pans of light rich 
soil and plunge in a good. heat. The object being to keep the 
plants in free growth without a check, the young plants should 
be carefully pricked out into small pots as soou as they can be 
handled, and as these fill with roots they should be shifted into 
larger pots. Those of eight inches diameter are large enough 
to finish with, but the plants must he kept in heat till the 
combs are formed, which will take place when the plants 
become pot-bound. Should some of the plants be too tall when 
grown but have tine combs, the defect of height may be easily 
remedied by cutting off the combs with a sufficient length of 
stem, potting them firmly into five or six inch pots, and plunging 
them for a few days in a good hot-bed. These will strike readily, 
and fine combs on dwarf handsome plants will be the result. A 
light rich friable soil is the best, and the plants when in full 
growth will be much improved by au occasional dose of weak 
liquid manure. 
per pkt. — s. d. 
I 240 Daniels’ Giant Prize. A magnificent strain, 
saved from combs measuring thirty-six inches 
by twelve inches, of the richest deep crimson 
colour ; when well grown are unrivalled for 
exhibition .. ... Is. 6d. and 2 6 
241 Dwarf crimson. Rich crimson .. ... 0 6 
242 Crimson-feathered 1 Long handsome plumes, 0 6 
243 Golden-feathered j splendid for conservatory 0 6 
244 New dwarf feathered. Splendid mixed ... 0 6 
245 An assortment of 6 fine dwarf vars. ... 1 6 
246. Choicest mixed. Dwarf ... ... ... 0 6 
