JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 2, 1882. ] 
95 
ing at the end of December. Am I to understand that this is the 
natural time of the flowering of this variety, or that a special line of 
culture as regards stopping, &c., has to he followed ? Any informa¬ 
tion on the subject will much oblige.—S. L. Bourchier. 
BEGONIA SOCOTRANA. 
Begonias are now largely represented in gardens by a great 
diversity of handsome forms of very distinct types, and some, 
the tuberous section for example, are becoming more popular 
every year. The species of which a woodcut is here given to some 
extent combines the characters of several types as they are 
popularly recognised in gardens, yet it is unquestionably one of 
the most distinct and pretty of recent introductions. It appears 
to be readily increased, and will soon become well known and 
appreciated by cultivators. The figure faithfully indicates the 
form of the leaves, which is one of the chief distinguishing marks 
of the plant. They are nearly circular in outline, thick, fleshy, 
bright green, and with the petiole inserted in the centre of the 
leaf after the manner of the Nelumbiumson a smaller scale. The 
flowers are very neat in form, rounded in outline and regular, the 
colour being a very bright rose tint, particularly attractive in the 
Fig. 21.—Begonia socotkana. 
dull months of the year when the blooms are freely produced. A 
temperature intermediate between that of a stove and a green¬ 
house is required, with a compost of light turfy loam, leaf soil or 
peat and sand, well draining the pots, and placing the plants in 
a light position. 
This is one of numerous discoveries of Professor J. B. Balfour in 
the island of Socotra during his recent expedition, and the stock 
has been acquired by Messrs. Veitch & Sons of Chelsea, where 
for some time past the plants have been flowering profusely in 
a warm house, and one of these is represented in our woodcut. 
Plants were exhibited at several meetings of the Boyal Horticul¬ 
tural Society last year, when it was honoured with a first-class 
certificate. 
VINES AND PLANTS. 
Your correspondent “Wistful,” at page 52, wishes for others’ 
experience in reference to the practice of growing plants for 
winter-flowering in vineries. Having received many useful hints 
from the Journal, I send a short account of my practice here. 
The garden is small. All the glass structures I have, except a 
small warm pit and some wooden frames, is a lean-to house about 
