10 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 7, 1895. 
PORTLAND ROAD NURSERY, 
READING. 
All the tuberous Begonias at this famous nursery of 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, are grown from 
seed and for the production of seed. The firm is 
well known for the length of time it has been engaged 
upon the improvement of this popular flower, and 
we have noted the improvements being made for 
years past; but we must confess we have never seen 
a greater advancement made in any one year than 
that accomplished since this time twelvemonth. A 
short time ago the plants were in the pink of per¬ 
fection, full of sturdy vigour and the houses a blaze 
of bloom from one end to the other. This is not 
merely our opinion of what we saw, but the opinion 
of a large number of gardeners on a visit to Reading 
and who had ample reason for such an agreeable 
surprise. The plants are all thrown away after 
having been grown two years from seed. Variety 
was and is practically endless ; quality far above 
what we anticipated; and cultural treatment visibly 
told its own tale. 
Doubles. 
Seeing that no plants are perpetuated by cuttings, 
the naming of varieties would be superfluous labour; 
nor is it necessary seeing that the quality of the 
strain, generally, is so excellent. Camellia, Rose and 
Hollyhock-shaped flowers with single centres are 
the favourites, and the first-named type may be 
recognised by reference to the accompanying illus¬ 
tration which was prepared from a photograph for 
which we are indebted to Messrs. Sutton. Descrip¬ 
tion is always feeble in conveying an exact im¬ 
pression of a flower or its colour ; but all interested 
should see for themselves. One of the huge double 
flowers we noted was orange-scarlet, like a double 
field Poppy but more brilliant. Another was washed 
with rose and pink on a white ground, delicate and 
pretty. Others were creamy-yellow faintly washed 
with salmon, bright yellow, orange-salmon, and 
globular with wavy petals, fiery scarlet, orange- 
salmon with a white centre, brilliant crimson-scarlet, 
white, shaded with blush, and pure white, both in 
massive flowers and medium-sized ones, for the 
white varieties are numerous. Some of the salmon- 
pink ones resembled a Rose while others had wavy 
petals like a Hollyhock. Some of the orange-scarlet 
sorts had broad, widely-spreading petals, while others 
had gradually smaller ones closing up the 
centre with a neat arrangement. One form might 
be compared to a double white Paeony with a single 
centre. A small golden variety had flowers of 
remarkable depth ; and close by was another we might 
compare to a great orange Hollyhock. A series of 
shades might be noted running through terra-cotta 
to buff and bronzy-yellow and from golden-yellow 
and old gold to the palest tints of yellow and cream. 
Rich magenta, rose and pink were other hues we 
could not easily overlook. Those who delight in an 
infinity of colours and harmonising gradations of the 
same, can certainly secure them by seed sowing. 
Singles. 
This year's seedlings occupy several houses, and 
though they constitute the late batch now, they will 
produce the early display next year. Very few of 
them receive names, the bulk being assorted accord¬ 
ing to colour as in the case of the doubles. Sutton’s 
Queen of Whites, though old is still very choice. 
(See illustration which Messrs. Sutton obligingly 
lent us). The orange-scarlet Prince of Orange is 
another beautiful sort perpetuated by seeds. The 
range of colour amongst the single varieties is as 
great if not greater than that of the doubles ; but the 
point is too intricate and difficult for us to decide. 
There is a gradation from pure white through pink, 
rose, magenta, and scarlet to maroon-crimson, 
including chamois rose and bicolor varieties. 
Besides the large collections occupying the houses, 
there is a considerable quantity in the open air, in¬ 
cluding many beautiful varieties of the Begonia 
semperflorens type, the utility of which for bedding 
purposes is receiving wide recognition. Though not 
tuberous they are very germane to the present sub¬ 
ject, and infinitely beautiful whether grown in pots 
or in beds out of doors. Duchess of York is rosy- 
carmine ; Duchess of Edinburgh, white, with a pink 
edge, delicate and pretty ; Crimson Gem, crimson, 
and fioriferous, with foliage of a bronzy metallic 
lustre; Rosea, white, with a very broad rose edge, 
and very dwarf; and Snowflake, white. The foliage 
of all these varieties looks polished and shining, while 
it is of a pleasing light green shade in those cases 
where the flowers are correspondingly light in hue. 
A Double Camellia Type. 
