1884 .] 
THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 
69 
THEEE QOOE BEQOEIAS FOE THE 'WINBOW 
GAEDEN, 
I have given np trying to grow Begonia 
Rex ill the window garden. It would livo 
there for an indefinite length of time,_in 
fact, I never had one die,—hut it lives at 
such a “ poor dying rate ” that I get discour¬ 
aged. It usually manages to have on it one 
tolerably fair loaf and a little mouse-ear, 
fuzzy tuft that maj' become another leaf 
sometime, if nothing happens to it. But 
one swallow doesn’t make a summer, they 
say, and one loaf doesn’t make an attractive 
plant out of even a Rex Begonia. 
But I have three Begonias in my collec¬ 
tion which afford me complete satisfaction. 
Not three of the rarest varieties, by any 
means, but three good ones; and if a plant 
is good, it makes but very little cUfforence 
whether it is a new or an old kind. These 
three are rulra, picta, and WeUonicnsis. 
B. ruhra is certainly the most satisfactory 
one I have ever grown. My plant was a 
small one last spring, but it has flourished 
wonderfully since I obtained it. I potted it 
in a soil composed 
of turfy loam and 
some earth from a 
comer of the barn¬ 
yard fence, where 
the rains usually 
left a puddle of 
water standing, and 
the richness of the 
manm'e pile had 
soaked into it until 
it had absorbed the 
best elements of the 
heap.. To these was 
added some sharp 
sand—enough to 
make the compost 
crumbly when taken 
up in the hand and 
squeezed together. 
Along in June, it 
sent up a new shoot 
from the roots, and 
it did not stop going 
up until it had 
reached a height of 
three feet and a 
half. Then it began 
to send out branches from each leaf, and 
these branches were covered with large, 
healthy, dark-green leaves. So heavy is the 
mass of foliage on the plant that I have had 
to put three stout sticks in the pot to support 
it. The plant almost fills an ordinary window, 
and it would be sure to attract a gi’cat deal of 
attention if it had no flowers. Add to the 
beauty of the leaves and its extremely 
graceful habit of growth, the large clusters 
of bright crimson-scarlet flowers which are 
produced so plentifully, in charming con¬ 
trast with the foliage, and it is hard to find 
a more showy or desirable plant. 
B. picta is not so robust a grower, but it 
grows well, and gives a compact mass of 
pale-green foliage, spotted with silvery white. 
Its flowers are a pale pink or flesh color. 
The under side of the leaves is red, shading 
off toward the edges into olive. It makes a 
very handsome plant. 
B. Weltonieims is a general favorite, as it 
deserves to be. It sends up so many stalks, 
all covered with shining, rich green foliage 
of such graceful shape, veined with crimson, 
that a pot of i t soon becomes a most_attraet; 
ive feature in any collection. It is not 
uncommon to see plants two feet and a half 
across, and about that in height,—a mass of 
luxuriant growth,— and the gi’oator part of 
the winter will see it sprinkled over thickly 
with rosy flowers. I have never failed in 
raising fine plants of this variety. No insect 
troubles it. It stands the close air of rooms 
well, and does not care for very much sun¬ 
shine. I tied small weights on the lower 
branches of the plant I have now, and they 
drooped in eoiisoquenco, completely hiding 
the pot. Ihe plant is a rounded mass of 
crimson stalks, well covered with foliage. 
In .spring I cut the tops off, and let the roots 
rest for six weeks, by keeping them pretty 
dry. Then I repot and give more water, and 
soon the plant starts into gi'owth again. 
Though not as showy as a Geranium, I would 
prefer it to any. Been E. Rexpord. 
BEAOEET GAEDENING. 
Portable plant-stands, placed in windows, 
says a coiTespondent of the Springfield lie- 
Primroses, a night-blooming Jessamine, 
Ceslnmi twclurmwi, and Oxalis are all gi-owing 
luxuriantly, and my bracket-gardening has 
proved a gi-eat success, and adorns my win¬ 
dows more gracefully than the richest drap¬ 
eries of lace or Persian manufactures could 
do, while the sunlight is not excluded from 
the apartment by the delicate traceries of 
tlie foliage of the plants. 
Vim 
m 
BEGONIA RUBRA. 
publican, were formerly the only receptacles 
for house-plants, and as they effectually 
barricaded them, they were not always ad¬ 
missible ; but now there are various fixtm'es 
for plants which take up no space in the 
apartments, and yet are so arranged that the 
plants can be brought close to the glass. 
Bronzed and gilded brackets, with stands 
for one, two, or even six flower-pots, can bo 
attached to any window easement, and, as 
they can be di'awn close to the windows 
during the day and turned back against the 
wall at night, thej’’ protect them effectually 
from the chilly night am. Tliree or four of 
these brackets can be fastened to each side 
of the easement, and a large number of 
plants can be cultivated upon them. As the 
plants are easily reached, they can be turned 
frequently and not be allowed to grow one¬ 
sided, as is the case in plant-stands. Every 
withering leaf can also be plucked off, and 
water can be more quickly given. 
I have ten brackets attached to my parlor 
windows, and upon them twenty-five plants 
are placed, and most of them are in full 
flower. Begonias. Fuchsias. Geraninmi 
PEOPAGATING VEEBENAS. 
For the past two years I have practiced, 
with pei-fect success, a method of propagat¬ 
ing Verbenas which is so easy, and at the 
same time so certain, that I give it here for 
the benefit of the readers of The American 
Garden. 
At the close of the bedding season I select 
the best Verbenas for color, etc., and drag 
up a handful of the runners. These are 
placed in a shallow box—say three inches 
deep—and over them is thrown a shovel¬ 
ful or so of road sand. They are watered 
and put in the shady side of a cold pit. 
From November till 
March first they 
wont grow three 
inches; but if they 
happen to have too 
rich sand on them, 
shear them dowm to 
the level of the box, 
if they peep over it. 
lu March go over 
them carefully, 
pinch every termi¬ 
nal eye, cover an 
inch or tw'O with 
swamp moss mixed 
with about one- 
tw'entieth part of 
its bulk of fine bone 
dust, and expose to 
full sun. The quan¬ 
tity of young shoots 
that will put out is 
past belief. A cut¬ 
ting bench must be 
large, if a few boxes 
treated as above 
wont fill it in a 
week or two. For 
amateurs, with always more “ stuff ” requii-- 
ing shelter than room, the above may be 
useful. Wm. M. Bowbon. 
ABOUT OALLAS. 
Every one knows that the Calla requires 
rich soil and frequent watering, but very few 
amatem’s give enough heed to this so as to 
have the earth sufficiently rich or the water 
supply sufficiently abundant. Nothing but 
the most severe perseverance in having the 
earth as much as half manure will insm’e 
success; then the plants when growing 
■\ugorously must not only be kept as wet as 
possible, but they delight in warm, and even 
moderately hot water. As ordinary saucers 
are shallow, we have placed a pot of Calla in 
a large earthen wash-basin, which we keep 
filled with warm water. It is also requisite 
to cut off each flower as soon as it shows 
any sign of withering; the result will be 
that a new bud will very soon make its 
appearance, often before the old stem is 
wilted. . 
