88 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[May 8. 
rous drooping panicles of scarlet flowers, something like 
the flowers of the fuchsia, hence its distinctive name. 
We saw, last autumn, some plants of this fine species 
in the Royal Gardens, at Frogmore, that were four feet 
high, and loaded with their bunches of bright-coloured 
flowers. They were grown in 10-inch pots, in light rich 
soil, in a kind of intermediate house, well exposed to 
the light, but at some distance from the glass. We also 
saw, about the same time, some flue specimens, six feet 
high, in the front of the palm house, at Sion House. 
Both examples proved that this plant can be grown so 
as to flower freely, which it does not always with ordi¬ 
nary management; yet it is worthy of every attention 
to cause it to flower well, because, in the first place, it is 
a very ornamental object when in bloom, and, secondly, 
it flowers in the last month of the year, when bloom is 
most acceptable. 2s. 6d. 
B. hvdrocotylefolia (Hydrocotyle-leaved B.); South 
America.—It is mentioned above that B. alba coccinea 
is a low growing species, but there is one still lower that 
will do to stand in the very front rank, even before 
that species. The leaves seldom reach more than three 
inches in height, and the flower-stems six inches. The 
leaves are nearly round, about au inch and a half across, 
very thick and leathery, and when the plant is a year or 
so old they completely cover the pot. The flower-stems 
spring up from amongst the leaves pretty numerously. 
The flowers are of a pinkish white, and are neat and 
pretty. It is a desirable, useful little plant, and will 
grow well in a fancy basket hung up in the stove. 3s. 6d. 
B. insignts (Striking B.); South America.—A large 
plant of this species is, as its name imports, a striking 
object. It is an upright, somewhat straggling, ever¬ 
green, fleshy-stalked, shrub. The foliage is moderate in 
size, of a pleasing green, and deeply serrated, or toothed 
at the edges. The flowers are produced on long droop¬ 
ing racemes very freely, and are of a pleasing pink or 
pale rose colour, cheering our stoves during the most 
dreary months in the year, namely, December and 
January. A showy, desirable species. 3s. 6d. 
B. luxurians (Luxuriant B.) ; South America.—This 
fine, lately-introduced species, widely departs in its 
foliage from the general habit of Begonias. It is a tall 
growing plant, reaching the height of from four feet to five 
feet. Both the stem of the plant, and the stalk of each leaf 
is of a pleasing reddish pink colour. The leaves are five- 
parted, something like the fingers of a man’s hand, 
giving the plant a palm-like appearance. The flowers 
appear from the axils of the leaves near the tops of the 
branches. They are numerously disposed in close 
cymes, or hunches, and are of a pleasing bluish white 
colour. We saw it well-bloomed this spring in Mr. 
Salter’s Versailles Nursery, at Hammersmith. A showy, 
handsome species. 5s. 
B. Marttana (Martin’s B ); Brazil.—A tuberous- 
rooted species, with tall, slender stems, producing their 
large rose-coloured flowers for a long season in sum¬ 
mer. Very showy. 3s. 6d. 
B. manicata (Collared B.) ; Brazil.—Though the 
flowers of this species are individually small and insig¬ 
nificant, yet, on a large plant, they are so numerous as 
to render it, when in flower, very ornamental. The 
leaves are large and handsome. On the under side, 
near the stem, they have, as it were, a ruffle or collar, 
finely fringed, and of a beautiful chocolate crimson 
colour. This adds greatly to their beauty, and is a very 
curious appendage. The plant itself is of a low stature, 
seldom reaching one and a half foot high, but the flower 
stems rise, on a large specimen, to three feet high, and 
two feet through. It is then a truly fine object. The 
season of blooming is in March, a season when its 
flowers are very acceptable. 2s. 6d. 
B. nitida (Shining-leaved B.); Jamaica.—An old 
inhabitant of our stoves, being introduced so long since 
as 1777. There are few plants more worthy of cultiva¬ 
tion. The plants form evergreen shrubs of a somewhat 
straggling habit, which, by proper training and stopping, 
may be amended. The leaves are, as the specific name 
imports, of a bright shining green, and large and hand¬ 
some. The flowers are produced on longish stems, 
bearing a large drooping cyme of medium-sized flowers, 
of a beautiful bright blush pink colour. One of the 
handsomest of the genus. 3s. 6d. 
B. parvifolta (Small-leaved B.); Cape of Good 
Hope.—The description of B. Dregei applies to this 
species, only the leaves are, in this case, much smaller 
A neat, pretty plant, flowering freely, and useful for 
cutting to assist in making bouquets. 2s. 6d. 
B. ramentacea (Scaly-stemmed B.); Brazil.—A hand¬ 
some dwarf species, growing about a foot high. The 
stems of the leaves are covered with whitish scales; they 
are large, and of a roundish shape; the underside is of a 
dark crimson colour. The flowers are produced on very- 
much-branched panicles, and are of a pure white. A 
pleasing, fine species. 3s. 6d. 
B. sanguinea (Blood-red-leaved B.); Brazil.—Chiefly 
remarkable for its leaves being fine coloured on the 
underside. A straggling evergreen shrub, worth culti¬ 
vating for its beautiful foliage. 2s. 6d. 
B. stigmosa (Spotted-leaved B.); South America.— 
The leaves are thinly covered with large brownish spots. 
The flowers are white, a dwarf, curious species, worth 
growing for its curiously-spotted leaves. 3s. 6d. 
B. zebrina (Zebra-striped B.); Brazil.—The leaves 
of this fine species are like glossy green velvet, beau¬ 
tifully barred with pale purple stripes. The flowers are 
pink coloured. A very showy species. 3s. 6d. 
The above seveuteen species we consider the best of 
this large family of plants. Not that there are not 
several others, which, where there is room to cultivate 
them, might be added to the selection. If any of our 
readers are desirous to increase the number, let them 
consult the Cottage Gardener’s Dictionary, page 123 and 
124. They will there find sixty more species, faithfully, 
but briefly described. We must defer the culture of 
these charming plants to this day fortnight. 
T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Auriculas and Polyanthuses. —Continue to protect 
late bloomers from heavy rains. Such as are gone quite 
out of flower should be placed on the east side of a low 
wall, and sheltered from late frosts. If seed is intended 
to be saved, keep the plants under hand-lights, propped 
up with small pots to shelter the seed-pods from wet, 
which would cause the seed vessels to mould, and rot the 
seeds ; but give the plants a due amount of water at 
the roots. 
Carnations and Picotees shelter from heavy rains, 
but fully expose in fine weather. The best shelter is 
formed of hoops and mats. The latter to be thrown 
over in wet weather, and late frosty nights, should any 
occur. Water freely in dry weather. 
Hyacinths will now, in the open beds, be in fine 
bloom. They require shelter from rain and heavy winds, 
aud from bright sunshine. By these precautions the 
bloom may be prolonged for a fortnight. 
Hollyhocks. —Place a mulching of rotten dung round 
each plant, to keep in the moisture, and to feed the 
roots by the ammoniacal salts being washed down in 
showery weather. 
Tulips now in full bloom, shade from bright sun, or 
the colour will fade quickly. T. Appleby. 
