# Rosecroft Begonia Gardens, Point Loma, California • 
BEGONIA CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
Arranged by Alfred D. Robinson 
SOIL 
LEAF MOLD is the best foundation for Begonia com¬ 
post. This should be well rotted, not merely dried leaves, 
and be used, except for seed, in a rather coarse condition; 
to half of this add one-quarter sandy loam, one-quarter 
cow manure, with a sprinkling of balanced commercial 
fertilizer, such as Nitrophoska, and fine charcoal. Bego¬ 
nias will grow in many kinds of soil but experience has 
proven this mixture. 
We find that in large sections of the country leaf mold 
is difficult to obtain. A good substitute is turfy loam with 
the addition of one quarter of coarse sand or gravel using 
for watering this government formula: TO ONE GALLON 
OF WATER ADD ONE-HALF OUNCE OF SUPERSATUR¬ 
ATED ALUM. This supplies the acidity begonias appre¬ 
ciate and offsets alkalinity. 
Do not use any material that has even a suspicion of 
alkali, nor soil that has been persistently irrigated. Bego¬ 
nias like an acid soil. 
WATER 
For Begonias there is no real substitute for RAIN 
WATER. It is essential to have a soft water, especially 
for seed. Though authorities are divided, plant growers 
are fairly well agreed that the use of chlorine in water 
has been very harmful to plant growth. We think it has, 
and advise the saving of rainwater where possible so that 
when our city fathers in a panic over the report of some 
case of infectious disease in a neighboring state, dump 
into the water system an extra load of chlorine, the rain 
water barrel can come to the rescue of the potted plants. 
SEED SOWING AND CARE OF SEEDLINGS 
Seed of Tuberous should be planted early in the year, 
though good results are possible with May sowing. Other 
sorts at any time, depending on the facilities for care. 
We have found leaf mold the best soil for seed. Sift 
this through a medium fine screen, using the coarser part 
on the bottom of a shallow seed pan, place the fine mate¬ 
rial on top of this, thoroughly soak. Spread the seed, 
mixed with ten times its bulk of fine dry soil, evenly over 
the surface. Cover the pan with a sheet of glass and keep 
in the dark at a temperature around 65° F., till the seed 
sprouts when it must be gradually brought to the light, 
but never full sunlight. 
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