October 4 , 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
2 m 
be taken up and stored. In the meantime their colours are 
noted and the varieties classified. Although all of them are 
better than the best of a few years ago, only a few, the creme 
de la creme, will be named. The plants are about 6 inches high, 
with fat stems, sturdy, bushy, and covered with towers. So far 
from these Begonias not being amenable for bedding, experience 
has proved that they make better tubers wheu planted out than 
they do grown in pots, hence the most choice and valuable of 
both home-raised and continental forms are planted out in rough 
frames with nothing now to cover them, and they grow like 
weeds. 
It is not to be supposed that the inexperienced, and especially 
those who have not the best means for growing the seedlings, 
could succeed like a Laing in growing such plants the first 
season. It would be unwise to attempt this, or rather to rely 
on seedlings of the same year for filling the beds. Not one 
amateur or gardener in a hundi-ed has the requisite conveniences 
for the work, but then scarcely one out of a hundred need fail, 
provided there are frames, greenhouses, or the usual conveniences 
for raising bedding plants that are usually prepared in gardens, 
if he grows his Begonias from tubers. Those of the size of 
Cobnuts will make good plants, but if as large as Walnuts 
they are better. They can be had cheap enough in mixture, 
the price, of course, varying according to size and the quality 
of the varieties. 
A few of the secrets of success in preparing the plants and 
growing them successfully in beds—that is, if there are any 
“ secrets ” now-a-days, may perhaps be usefully divulged. These 
are the very essence of simplicity. Where persons fail is in 
over-preparing, over-nursing, or, to use a well-understood and 
expressive term, in coddling the plants in their early stages, then 
starving them afterwards. If we look at the plants and note 
their fleshy root-, succulent stems, expansive leaves, and large 
leathery flowers, it becomes apparent that they must have rich, 
free, generous soil, and abundance of water—that is, when they 
are in full growth. It is also clear that all plants of this nature 
from Balsams to Begonias are peculiarly liable to be drawn by 
excessive heat and insufficient light in their early stages. If 
anyone wants to see how stout and sturdy Balsams can be grown 
let him sow some seed in pots in May, and plunge these pots in 
a heap of fermenting materials in the open air. If he wants 
stout Begonias for bedding let him start the plant? on similar 
principles of affording them gentle bottom heat, but not start¬ 
ing them so soon that they cannot have abundance of light and 
air to keep them dwarf and sturdy. The precise time of start¬ 
ing can only be determined by the means of growing the plants 
afterwards, but, as a rule, early in April would be safe for the 
majority of cultivators. 
When once started the plants must be kept steadily growing. 
There must be no check, and as a rule they are far better if they 
are never potted. If Begonias are potted, as they often are, 
grown nearly a foot high under glass, then placed in a frame to 
“ harden,” their pots at the same crowded firmly with roots, and 
eventually planted out, they will not flourish. Their owners 
wonder why they do not start and gro v freely, concluding the 
plants are “ not fit for bedding.” It would be a wonder if plants 
thus “ prepared ” did thrive. Even Calceolarias will not do so, 
as most persons have found out, and they adopt a simpler and 
more rational method of preparation. In order to succeed with 
Begonias we must go back to simplicities. Start the tubers in 
boxes, then if the plants when an inch or tw T o high can be 
planted 4 or 5 inches apart in good soil on a gent’e hotbed in a 
pit, or over which a fi’ame can be placed, there to rema n till 
planted in the beds, there can be no better preparation. Fail¬ 
ing this they may be grown thinly in boxes, the compost 
being light and gritty, resting on a layer of decayed manure. 
Of this the roots will take possession, and in due time the plants 
can be quickly yet carefully planted in the beds with roots un¬ 
injured, stout, healthy, hungry, and ready to immediately extend 
into the soil in which they are placed. A root-bound plant can¬ 
not do this. It tries to do so, and a few fibres start from the 
wire-like roots here and there that are curled round the soil, but 
the growth is never free, and the plant struggles for existence. 
It may not die all at once, but it cannot make free progress, and 
then “ Begonias are no use for bedding.” Better would it be 
to plant the corms in the beds on the 1st of May and leave 
them to take their chance, than to prepare them in this root- 
bound irrational fashion that more than anything else has brought 
Begonias into disrepute as plants for the flower garden. 
Then the soil in the beds should be rich. At the surface it 
may be light and free to encourage a free start, but not far 
below it should be about as rich as for Celery. Then will the 
plants luxuriate and produce thick stems, large foliage, and 
clusters of wax-like flowers. But they must be sustained by 
water, the necessity for the application of which will be materially 
lessened by covering the surface of the ground between the 
plants with a layer 2 inches in thickness of cocoa-fibre refuse. 
This is cheap enough, conserves the moisture, is an impediment 
to slugs, and imparts to the beds a neat appearance. 
The same material dried is one of the best preservatives of 
the tubers. Mix it with sawdust, or use it without, and a layer 
of this and of tubers alternately in large pots or boxes will be 
found to answer the purpose of preserving the latter in a fresh 
sound state, and the packing medium may advantageously b > 
dug into the beds, and, especially where the soil is strong, will be 
found highly beneficial; and what a convenience this method of 
wintering is to those whose glass accommodation is limited, for 
the stages and shelves are at liberty for other plants through the 
winter, the Begonias resting meanwhile like so many choice 
Potatoes.— Experientia docet. 
SOUVENIR DU C0XGRE8 PEAR. 
In your last issue you mention two splendid Pears of this variety sent 
to you by Mr. Rivers. I purchased some trees in pots from that gentleman 
about nine or ten months ago, and among them was a Souvenir du 
Congres, and the fruit has been splendid, not only for size but for 
flavour also—one Pear weighed lj- lb., and another was 1 lb. Beurr& 
d’Amanlis grew very large, but the flavour was not rich. I consider 
Souvenir du Congres by far the best flavoured large Pear I know.— 
J. W., Liverpool. 
This is undoubtedly one of the grandest of autumn Pears, and as 
its merits become fully known it will he grown in most gardens where 
handsome fruit of high quality is cherished. It would be interesting to 
know whether the specimens alluded to last week had been gathered from 
trees grown in pots, and if so this would prove how satisfactory the 
system is. Pears so grown need no heated structures, hut only want 
shelter from frost during the blossoming and setting period, the trees at 
all other times being stood in the open air. Such trees laden with fruit 
are handsome ornaments; and if such noble specimens as those alluded 
to can be produced the method would appear to be worthy of adoption. 
Still this fine Pear can he grown most satisfactorily against walls, and a 
tree will usually he found worthy of the space it occupies.—A Fbuit- 
Gboweb. 
THE HERBACEOUS BORDER. 
Coreopsis tripteris. —This is valuable for producing its flowers 
from September until stopped by frosq its large corymbs of bright 
yellow flowers with blackish-brown disc rendering it highly orna¬ 
mental. It is 4 feet or more in height, having long, narrow, divided 
leaves, which give it a very distinct appearance. 
Aconitum japonicum. —The deep purplish-blue flowers, borne im 
stout spikes, and its large, deep green, glossy leaves, render this very 
effective, and especially valuable from its late flowering, from the 
middle of September onwards. It attains to a height of to 3 feet, 
doing well in any soil, but, like all the Aconites, it prefers a moist 
one.° A. autumnale has spikes of light or lavender-blue flowers, 
and though similar to, is quite distinct from, A. japonicum. It grows 
3 feet high, and is one of the best autumn-flowering plants. 
Tritoma uvaria glaucescens.— One of the best, if not the bes 1 , 
of the genus, being very free flowering, with bright orange and scarlet 
flowers. T. grandis has truly noble spikes, 4 to 5 feet in height, 
but the spikes of T. nobilis are the largest, and it has the advantage 
of producing them very freely. T. pumila is dwarf in growth, and 
the spikes are dark red, not having the glow of the others. 
Gypsophila panicdeata. —This forms a beautiful bush 2 feet 
high, and is simply smothered with its countless white flowers. It 
is not only a very effective border plant, but has a very elegant 
appearance in a cut state. It does best in light soil, and is best 
continued by seed. 
Stokesia cyanea. —This commenced flowering at the middle of 
September, and bears a profusion of palish blue flowers, nearly 
3 inches across, which are very effective on the plant and useful 
when cut. It grows about 30 inches high, and is one of the very 
finest of autumn-flowering plants. It requires a light well-drained 
soil, as it is not very hardy, but in a warm situation does admirably. 
Pyrethrum uliginosum.— A strong stool of this forming a bush 
4 feet and more in diameter, covered with its large pure white 
flowers, 3 inches across, is a stately and beautiful object, and the 
flowers surpass all the Marguerites for cutting. It attains a height 
of about 4 feet. It is unrivalled as a late summer-flowering perennial, 
and does well in any soil, preferably in rich friable loam. 
Francoa ramosa.— T'he long branching spikes of this are very 
effective, being borne profusely from September to frost. '1 he 
flowers are pure white and useful for cutting. It requires a warm 
situation and a light soil, as it is somewhat ender, and does not 
succeed in an ordinary border unleoe well drained, and is best given 
