TUBEROUS-ROOTED BEGONIAS 
By H. Howard Peppkr 
AX rE wonder that more people do not plant the 
^ ^ beautiful tuberous-rooted begonias, espe¬ 
cially the single varieties, the blossoms of which some¬ 
times measure six inches in diameter. They make 
beautiful bedding plants, are cheaper than geraniums, 
much prettier and almost as easy to grow as pota¬ 
toes. They give almost constant, showy bloom 
through the summer and fall in the following colors: 
scarlet, white, pink, crimson, orange and yellow. 
The foliage is also very attractive. 
We start ours in boxes and pots in the cellar, 
March first. They could be started earlier to 
advantage if they could have plenty of light so that 
they would not get leggy. We plant them out as 
soon as all danger from frost is passed. They 
will grow in sun or shade but prefer a shady situa¬ 
tion with plenty of light. Another good feature 
about them is that they can be transplanted in 
full bloom. While the double varieties are beauti¬ 
ful they are more expensive than the single and not 
so showy. The double blossoms are like rosettes. 
We plant ours among ferns, on the front of peony 
and rose beds, in tubs and veranda boxes. 
By covering them with cheese cloth on cold 
nights we have kept them in bloom as late as the 
26th of October. 
When the frost kills the foliage, the tops are re¬ 
moved, the tubers are dried and kept in baskets 
in a warm dry cellar until spring. They seem to 
prefer leaf-mold to manure and require a great deal 
of water. If planted in a sunny situation it is well 
to mulch them. They may be successfully raised 
from seeds, cuttings or by division of the tubers. 
GENERAL.EFFECT OF THE BEGONIAS 
ENLARGED VIEW OF PLANTS IN BOX 
A CORNER OF THE PORCH 
lOI 
