10 
generally raised. above its level. .Shade 
of a kind, not heavy or dense, is a matter 
of considerable importance for these Irises. 
Indeed, were I forming what I should re- 
gard an ideal spot, I would ask for noth- 
ing better than) a half-shady place where a 
border may be made and where leaf soil © 
and manure may be given at will. With 
these at command there is no reason why 
the group in question should not 
be more frequently a success as ordi- _ 
nary border plants, particularly where a 
so-called damp. border exists. I am not 
saying there are no known instances of suc- 
cess when given the semi-aquatic treat- 
ment, but I would content myself did the 
extreme roots touch the moisture. Plants 
that may be perfectly happy beside a rip- 
pling rivulet may, rather I would say 
would, be almost sure to decline and pre- 
sently vanish if planted in the sodden soil 
at the margin of a pond. In short, where 
Primula japonica will spread out its’ 
rosettes of leaves to 2 feet or 24 feet across 
and send its giant whorls of crimson 
flowers as high into the air, there also will 
these Irises thrive. ss 
E. JENKINS. 
Tuberous Begonias. 
2eeeea 
In the history of gardening during the 
past ten years or so no plant has played a 
more important parb than the Begonia, 
whether as a bedding or a pot plant. Many 
specialists have been busy in improving the 
type of plant grown, and special attention 
has been given to the production of dis- 
tinct types suitable severally for. bedding, 
for pots, or for basket work. ; 
When the much-desired upright habit of 
the plant is well shown in the shoot, and 
when we have such good. growth carnying 
good flowers on stems thrown well above 
the foliage, there is nothing left in the way 
of improvement to’ desire. It must not 
be thought that flowers of such a type have . 
been produced without very great atten- 
tion being paid to selection of seed parents. 
Growers in a large way have to test many 
thousands of seedlings before making a tel- 
ection of the best varieties. for perpetua- 
tion. ; 
THESE CULTURAL NOTES 
are intended more particularly to deal 
with the treatment of tubers from the time 
they go to rest until they are again in ac- 
tive growth in their summer quarters; but 
they would not be in any way ,complete 
unless some allusion was made to the type 
of plant most suited to the various pur- 
poses for which it is grown. . Single varie- 
ties, with self-colored flowers standing up- 
right on strong stems, are the best for out- 
door work, and these may be bought 
selected, true to color and type, without 
going to the trouble of getting _ named 
yarieties, and they have, too, the vigor of 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
AUGUST 10, 1903. 
youth, for they are generally sent out after 
having flowered once only. The double 
varieties may also be used for bedding, and 
are very effective though somewhat 
heavy looking. For baskets the drooping 
varieties are the best, and this class is the 
most poorly represented of all, having suf- 
fered in the struggle for those of an upright 
type. If some one would take them in 
hand and raise for us some good-coloret 
forms similar to the primrose-colored 
double Alice Manning, one of the 
loveliest Begonias in existence, which 
has an ideal habit as a _ basket 
plant, there can. be no doubt that 
they would be largely grown. For ordi- 
nary pot purposes a little licence may be 
given as regards habit, for many of the 
freest-flowered and finest varieties have a 
semi-drooping habit. In cultivating the 
plants it should not be forgotten that the 
tuberous Begonia of the present day 1s 
A COMPARATIVELY SHORT-LIVED PLANT, 
i.e., the same tubers do not live for very 
many years. <A leading grower who was 
the first to popularise these plants told me 
several years ago that very few named 
varieties existed for more than half a dozen 
years, and if they lived longer they could 
never be grown to the same perfection 
after that time. - It is necessary, therefore, 
to add now and then to the stock a few 
young tubers, and these may be readily 
raised from seed. 
TO KEEP THE TUBERS THROUGHOUT THE 
WINTER 
it is only necessary to have a dry, cool, but 
frostproof loft or shed, and to store them 
in it in good condition. Placing thera 
anywhere under the influence of artificial 
heat is quite a mistake, as it causes them 
to shrivel and to break weakly in spring. 
Whether the plants have been grown in 
pots or in beds my winter treatment is al- 
ways the same, and since adopting it I have 
never lost 1 per cent. of my stock. The 
plants are lifted from the ground or turn- 
ed out of pots as soon as the top growth 
has fallen away from them. Most of the 
; soil is then shaken from the fibrous roots 
“and the tubers are put on a dry shelf for 
a few hours, or even »perhaps, for a day 
or two, until the soil still left on has be- 
come almost dry, when they will be fit for 
storing. I pack them tightly together in 
. shallow boxes, one layer to a box, and put 
them on shelves in the loft or shed chosen 
for them. Here they remain all winter 
and until the young shoots formed early 
in the spring have grown to about half an 
inch long. ‘This is the best stage at which 
to repot, or to prepare them for the beds. 
TO INCREASE THE STOCK, 
the largest tubers may be cut in two, 
three, or four pieces, according to size and 
number of shoots showing, each piece hav- 
ing at least one shoot left on it. Place the 
cut tubers on a shelf until the newly cut 
_ surfaces have become dry, and then dust 
them over with powdered charcoal or 
_ flowers of sulphur to prevent decay. Pot 
at once into the pots in which it is in- 
tended to flower the plants, for, though 
this entails much care in watering for a 
time, it is better than having to repot 
them later. Those for bedding are best 
put into boxes of sandy loam and leaf- 
mould in equal proportions, putting at the 
bottom of the boxes, in lieu of crocks, some 
flaky leaf-mould or semi-decayed horse- 
droppings. On this place the tubers, al- 
lowing them to stand at about 3 in. apart, 
and fill up between with the soil, a little 
of which should also be allowed to cover 
the tubers. | Remove the boxes to a cold 
frame with an easterly aspect, protect 
from frost, and give air when required, in- 
creasing it as the weather gets warmer 
until the lights can be left off night as 
well as day. The night dews will benefit 
the plants and prepare them for their final 
move to the beds. It will be found that 
plants from boxes will grow away with 
much greater freedom than any that have 
been potted up, as they come out with 
their roots in a natural position, and ready 
to thread their way into the new soil. 
IN PLANTING, 
put the tubers 2 or 3 in. below the sur- 
face, as they enjoy coolness at the roots, 
and resent being baked by the sun. ‘To 
assist in keeping them cool mulch the sur- 
face as soon as the plants are tall enough 
with some short manure or leaf-mould, and 
if the soil is naturally heavy and lumpy, a 
couple of handfuls of sand or road grit 
round each tuber when planting will be 
helpful. The only real danger of losing 
one’s plants arises from over-watering the 
pots or boxes before the new roots become 
active, and this is. the most dangerous 
period with them, as having no growth to 
support, the tubers cannot then assimilate 
water without decaying. 
THE ONE GREAT ENEMY 
to Begonias is thrips—not the ordinary 
black kind, but a little yellow beast, very 
active, and not easily seen. Watch care- 
fully for any discoloration of the stems or 
leaves, and be sure that if you see brown 
markings on either the thrips are there. 
Fumigate weekly while the plants are in 
fratnes ; this will destroy the insects with- 
out damaging the plants. 
‘Cornusian, in “Amateur Gardening.” 
aces Seseseeen 
ZONALE PELARGONIUMS, 
It is not easy-to prevent the cuttings, 
which are taken late, from damping off, 
and a warmed greenhouse will be necessary 
for them after the first month, when they 
do ‘best in a sunny position. in the open air, 
taking them indoors, however, during 
heavy rain. The cuttings, or slips, for 
these are the best for late purposes, should 
be allowed to dry for a day or two, lying 
on a sunny shelf or border before putting 
them into a well-drained box of sandy soil, 
where they should each be made. very firm 
Ly pressing the soil round them with the 
thumb. If at all loose, they will be sure 
to die; itis, therefore, desirable to see to 
them occasionally, and press them in 
tightly. 
