126 
BEGONIAS. 
THE CULTURE OF BEGONIAS. 
Now that the winter season is passing away and floral treasures 
begin to unfold themselves, it is but too like poor human nature 
to pass unheeded the plants which have contributed to our plea¬ 
sure of the past, because they do not wear the gay livery of the 
present, forgetting that the future may come when we should 
gladly hail our old acquaintance ; and, to prevent the disap¬ 
pointment which, as a consequence, must ensue at that time, if 
its objects are now neglected, I take upon myself to urge upon 
your readers the necessity of doing justice to these plants through 
the summer. They are acknowledged to be the best of winter¬ 
flowering plants we possess; but, if we deem them unworthy 
the little requisite attention now they are growing, it will be folly 
to hope for a display of blooms by and by. You have said a 
good word for them when occasion offered, and I trust will be 
able to afford room for these remarks. All the species of Begonia 
which have done flowering should be repotted immediately, before 
the press of other business prevents its being done in a proper 
manner. They delight in a soil composed chiefly of fibrous peat. 
Leaf-mould and sand must be added in proportion as the peat is 
£< open,” or of adhesive nature ; the closer its texture, the greater 
quantity of the other ingredients will be required. Let this be well 
mixed, without breaking it too fine, as the roots love to cling 
round the stones or lumps of earth it may contain (our old 
practice of sifting the soil is being entirely superseded, and you 
see practitioners of many years’ standing are not above benefiting 
by the improvement.) In the process of shifting, let the soil be 
cleared away from the rootlets, without injuring them more than 
can be helped, as they do not make fresh ones so readily as is 
sometimes thought; and, after having well drained the pots, 
place the plant in it, and press the new soil gently and equally 
among them. When finished, as their presence is not to be de¬ 
sired in the stove for some months to come, they may be placed 
in a pit or common frame, and by keeping it close a sufficiently 
raised atmosphere may always be obtained. For a month on¬ 
ward it will be necessary to cover them at night with a mat or 
two, to prevent the radiation of the internal heat and its conse- 
