220 
THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ October, 
HUMEA ELEGANS. 
MOST graceful and elegant biennial is the Ilumea elegans^ not so much 
grown as it deserves to be. It is, moreover, of very easy culture. The seed 
should be sown in May, and put into a gentle hot-bed. The seed should be 
very lightly covered, and if a piece of glass be put over the pot, it will keep 
the soil moist, without too much watering, until the seeds germinate. As soon 
as the plants are sufficiently large to handle, they should be potted off into small 
pots, and put back into a gentle heat. When the plants begin to fill the pots 
with roots, they should be shifted into 48-sized pots, using a compost of loam, 
peat, and sand. The plants when potted should again be put back into a gentle 
heat. With attention they will now begin to grow rapidly, and will soon require 
another shift, when a little rotten dung should be mixed with the compost, and 
less peat used. The plants, when shifted, may now be placed in a light, airy 
part of the greenhouse near the glass, and should be well attended to in regard to 
watering, being also occasionally syringed in the afternoon. 
About the first or second week in August the plants should have their final 
shift for the season. If they have done well, they should now have 8-inch pots, 
and more rotten dung and less peat should be mixed with the compost. Towards 
the middle of October the plants should (if properly handled) be from 18 in. to 
24 in. high, and every leaf should be perfect. During the autumn and winter 
months they should occupy a warm and light part of the greenhouse. They 
may, of course, be wintered anywhere, if frost be kept out, but they will do best 
in a light and warm part of the greenhouse, as recommended above. During the 
autumn and winter months no more water should be given than is absolutely 
necessary to keep them from suffering for want of it. Towards the end of 
February they should be put into 10-in. or 12-in. pots, using a compost of half¬ 
loam and half-dung, with a little sand. As the days lengthen and heat increases, 
the plants will begin to grow freely. When first shifted, they will not require 
much water until they begin to fill the pots with fresh roots, when water should 
be liberally supplied to them. Towards the end of May they will be beautiful 
objects, and may be plunged in the most suitable places in the flower-garden. 
They should not be planted in very exposed places, though they will stand a fair 
share of wind, and being securely tied to neat stakes, they will be very ornamental 
till the end of the summer season.—M. Saul, Stourton. 
BEGONIA KALLISTA. 
advent of the race of tuberous-rooted Begonias bred between B. 
^ holiviensis and B. Veitcldi^ and of which B. Sedeni^ figured in our volume 
for 18G0, may be regarded as the commencement, introduces a new feature 
amongst our floral decorative subjects. These Begonias, if only supplied 
during summer with rich moist earth, and a fairly sheltered situation, blossom 
profusely in the flower-garden, and are much less injured or affected by heavy rains 
