20 CENTS. SB 413 ^ • B4 T9 TUB RURA.I. LIBRJLRY ^oPy 1 I, No. t. NEW YORK. February 19, 1891. [Entered at New York Post Office as Second-Class Matter.] S3.00 A Year. Single Copy, SO Cts. Tuberous ,„,„,, Begonias CULTURE and MANAGEMENT Of a Most Promising- Race of Plants New to American Gardens. ^^ By Numerous Practical Growers. Reproduced from The American Garden, with the Addition of Much New Matter. PUBLISHED BY THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, TIMES BUILDING, NEW YORK. / "'> 'W ,^V "xM> Copyright, 1S91, by The Rural Publishing Co. Printed and Eleclrotyped J. Horace McFarland, Harrisburg, Pa. SlEBRECHT S WaDLEY'S New, Rare and Superior Strain of Tuberous Begonias For some years past we have been making- this most exceUent class of plants a special work, and study. Having started in with the best English as well as continental sorts, and having manipulated all their best qualities through hybridization 11 and cross-fertilization, we liave attained perfection in every way, viz: Strong, vigorous growth, free flowering habit, perfect character of foliage, color, form and size of flow- ers; and we now offer this improved race of Begonias for the first time. Seeds, per package free by mail, 50 cts. and $1. Bulbs of OUR SUPERIOR STRAIN, Single mixed, all colors, 30 cts. each, $3 per doz., $20 per 100; Separate colors, the best single White, Pink, Yellow and Crimson, 50 cts. each, $5 per doz.; Double, in separate colors, 50 cts. each, $5 per dozen free by mail. SlEBRECHT & WADLEY'S ROSE HILL NURSERIES are also Headquarters for OReHlDS, PALMS, FERNS The most complete collection of Choice Stove and Greenhouse Plants in America — All the Novelties. GLOXINIAS, AMARYLLIS, NEW FRENCH CANNAS, ROSES ON OWN ROOTS, HARDY HERBACEOUS or BORDER PLANTS, and ORNAMENTAL TREES and SHRUBS are Specialties. We guarantee all plants to be as Represented. SlEBRECHT & WADLEY, Rose Hill Nurseries, New Rochelle, N. Y. Also The U. S. Tropical Nurseries, Trinidad, West Indies, and Floral Depot,^409 Fifth Avenue, New York City. / Tlie New Potato Culture By ELBERT S. CARMAN, Editor of THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. This book will give the results of the author's investigations and experi- ments during- the past fifteen years. Its object will be to show all who raise potatoes, whether for home use solely or for market' as well, that the yield may be increased thi-eefold without a corresponding increase in the cost; to show that the little garden patch, of a fortieth of an acre perhaps, may just as well yield ten bushels as three bushels : to induce farmers and gardeners to ex- periment with fertilizers not only as to the kind, that is to say, the constit- uents and their most effective pi-oportions, but as to the most economical quan- tity to use; to experiment as to the most telling preparation of the soil, the depth to plant, the size of seed, the number or eyes, the distance apart. These will be among the subjects considered, not in a theoretical way at all, but as the outcome of fifteen years of experimentation earnestly madein the hopeof advancing our knowledge of this mighty industry. It is respectfully sub- mitted that these experiments so long carried on at the Rural Grounds have, directly and indirectly, thrown more light upon the various problems in- volved'in successful potato culture, than any other experiments which have been carried on in America. Price, Cloth, 75 Cents ; Paper, 40 Cents. THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Times Building, New York. ■»♦♦■■»■»■»♦■»»♦♦»••-»■♦-»»♦»-»'»♦»♦-»♦* ly Handkerchief Garden. SIZE, 25x60 feet, EESULT : A Garden, Fresh Vegetables, Exercise, Health and $20.49. By Charles Barnard. Being an explicit account of Mr. Barnard's actual operations on a suburban village house lot. Interesting and valuable to all suburban dwellers, professional men and mechanics. PRICE, 25 CTS. THE RUItAL rUBLISHING CO^IFANY, Times Building, N. Y. »♦»-»-»♦»■»♦•♦♦♦♦-»»♦♦♦♦♦♦-»♦■»»♦•♦■»♦■• " ♦■♦»»♦»-»♦♦■*♦♦■»»»■»»» Window Gardening. A LOT OP DELIGHTFUL AND PRACTICAL ARTICLES AND PLEASING ILLUSTRATIONS -ALL ON WINDOW GARDENING— make up this pretty little work- Written bv expert flower and plant growers. Covex's every phase of plant culture in\he house. PRICE, 10 CENTS. THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Times Building, N. Y. ♦ ♦♦»♦♦♦»♦ »■#■■»♦♦-♦■♦■♦»■»♦♦-»■«•■»♦♦■♦■■♦■■»♦♦*•♦■••♦■»♦♦* The New Botany. A LECTURE ON THE BEST METH- OD OP TEACHING THE SCIENCE By W. J. BEAL, (M. Sc, Ph. D.), Pro- fessor of Botany, Agricultural College, Michigan. Third edition, enlarged and revised. PRICE, 25 CENTS. THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Times Building, N. Y. Tlie Tuberous Begonia, opinions and Experiences, Concerning one of the Most Attractive Groups of Plants in Cultivation. EGONIA TUBEROSA, the first of the whole class of tuberous begonias, was introduced to English gar- deners so far back as 1810. Although other bego- nias were then known and admired by English gar- deners, probably this was the first truly tuberous spe- cies that was grown by them. This earliest species, however, was not remarkable for beauty, and the florists in the early part of this century could have no idea that the insignificant-looking flower was the forerunner of a noble family of summer flowering plants. The tastes of florists of that day were quite different to those of the present time, for flowers such as the Auricula, the Polyanthus and the Tulip were most admired and cultivated. These and other flowers which were distinguished by their mathematical exactness in outline and markings and arrangement were considered perfect flowers. It is no wonder, therefore, that the new introduction, a flower in every way opposed to the accepted ideal of perfection, was neglected. The style of flowers to which reference is here made is such as is not ad- mired by artists of to-day, and the old ideal of perfection in flowers was certainly quite different to the ideal of the present day. We think they were opposed to nature, and that we are in closer sympathy with her. However this may be, it is very remarkable that the date when the tuberous begonia first received attention from our florists almost exactly corresponds with the date of what may be de- scribed as the revolt against the old tastes. For it is only during the last few years that English florists have had the tuberous begonia in (3) 4 ^ The Rural Library. hand, although our brethren on the continent were at work much ear- Uer than we were. The hybrids of to-day have originated mainly from three species, namely, B. Boiiviejtsts, with orange pink pendulous flowers ; B. Veitchii, with bright red flowers, and B. Pcarcei, with small yellow flowers. When we consider the quality of these three species, the comparatively small flowers, the want of substance and the indifferent form, we cannot but be struck with the extraordinary advances made in the family. At present we have large flowers of almost perfect shape, of splendid substance, and in the most superb colors, while the habit of the old forms has disappeared, and in its place we have a habit stout, bushy and almost perfect. The begonia of to-day is therefore far in advance of the old forms, and when we consider the wonderful variety of color now in existence, we cannot help but wonder how such results have been obtained. The white flowers are very chaste and pure ; while some are most delicately blushed or edged with pink, the various shades of red, pink, magenta, crimson, etc., are, as might be expected, the largest and per- haps the finest in substance, while the orange, bronze and salmon va- rieties are very good in every way. The family is at present very weak in yellows, the flowers being comparatively small and not bright enough in color ; but there is every promise of development in this direction.' I myself hope to produce as the result of crosses made during the summer of 1885, something new in this color. I think there is a distinct color in the reds which may ultimately be developed, and there are signs of it in some of my own hybrids, namely, a rich glowing scarlet. Most of the hybrids now in cultivation are self colors, but there will soon be many varieties which will be remarkable for the shading ; thus a variety I have in hand, which I hope will be the progenitor of a new range of color, has, on a groundwork of yellowish orange, colors which from salmon on the outer part of the flower intensify to almost crimson in the center. Several florists have now in hand another " break," which maybe exceedingly useful ; the flowers have a dis- tinct white center. This will be an additional attraction if it can be perpetuated in the various colors ; for the effect produced by the bunch of golden anthers with a groundwork of waxy white may be readily imagined to be very charming. Tuberous Begonias. 5 Another form of flower which may be ultimately produced is one with serrated petals, for signs of this are not wanting, and to this and other forms we may also secure spotted flowers, for no one can say what result may not be obtained in this remarkable family. Nor is it only in the flowers that remarkable advances have been made, for the foliage and habit of growth has been remarkably im- proved. The leaves are very different in the marking, and all are handsome, with striking venations and rich shadings in the colors. The habit of the older forms was straggling, and in many cases un- wieldly, but now the habit is stout and symmetrical, so much so that staking is really unnecessary. The hybrids of to-day are, if anything, hardier than the original species, and the tuberous begonia is cer- tainly hardier than any other begonia. — Samuel Ryder, Jr., England. (1886.) ■ CHARACTER AND CULTURE. The season of flowering is fully six months long. The first blossoms ap- pear in early spring, and until late in the fall flowers are continuously pro- duced. They are of the richest colors, embracing every shade of white, rose, pink, red, scarlet, crimson, maroon, lake, yellow and orange, and combine the richest shades and the intermediate colors — certainly a point greatly in their favor. Tuberous begonias are well adapted to almost every kind of culture. They may be grown in pots, boxes or baskets, out of doors, or under glass, or in the open ground. The thick structure of the plants enables them to with- stand wet and stormy weather as well as tropical heat and drouth. Even at this late date (October 2, i8go) we have thousands of plants as plentifully covered with flowers of every shade as during the summer, notwithstand- ing the rain storms and cold nights to which the geraniums, coleus and many varieties of summer-flowering plants have succumbed. Another valuable feature of these begonias is that they possess the beautiful and abundant foliage which is characteristic of the family. With the exception of the geranium, there is no plant that can produce so gor- geous a display of rich and varied colors as the begonia when grown in masses, and all who grow them will come to this conclusion. Only a few people as yet recognize the value of begonias as bedding-out plants, but their general adoption for this purpose is only a matter of time. In some places they are already quite extensively used, and still their avail- ability in this direction is far from baing fully understood. They contrast so beautifully with other plants that they will not be discarded after a fair 6 The Rural Library. trial is given them. When grown in masses, the different kinds can also be arranged with good effect. Begonias should be grown in a loose rich soil. There is no danger of their running to leaf, even in wet and sunless weather. During weather th.jt would ruin the looks of geraniums they grow steadily and produce flowers at every joint, and instead of appearing battered and bruised after a storm, the plants appear actually refreshed. No insects prey upon them, so their leaves and flowers are mostly perfect, which can be said of very few plants. This fact alone greatly reduces the labor and expense of growing them. It is not near so difficult to cultivate tuberous begonias successfully as has heretofore been supposed, and if the following instructions are followed success is assured . If the plants are intended for pot culture, either for greenhouse, conser- vatory or window, it is better to use bulbs or tubers. These should be ob- tained from a reliable source, say in February or April, while in a dor- mant state. They can now be obtained at a moderate price, but it must not be supposed that the choice varieties will be found in the cheaper col- lections which are offered, for as in all other classes of flowers, the choicer sorts are selected according to their merits and included in the superior and more valuable collections ; and these are certainly preferable for pot culture. For early flowering it is advisable to start the bulbs in February or March, either in small pots or shallow boxes in a greenhouse, conservatory, or in the window. The soil should be composed of loam, sharp sand and leaf mould. The pots should not be much larger than the bulbs, and should have good drainage. The bulbs should be lightly covered, and if started in boxes, the soil should not be over two and one-half to three inches in depth. Set the bulbs the same as in pots, taking care that the drainage is perfect ; they can be planted very close together. As soon as the bulbs are planted, water lightly with a sprinkler, so as to moisten the soil thoroughly and equally, and a moist but not wet condition should be maintained. The temperature in which the bulbs are started should be from 60° to 65°. After growth has started, give regular but moderate ventilation, and a somewhat cooler temperature, avoiding, however, all cold drafts. After leaves have formed the plants should be carefully repotted, or if started in boxes, be carefully lifted and potted into suitable sized pots. Do not make the mistake of over-potting. The soil should be the same as that used be- fore, except that a larger proportion of loam, and a little well-rotted old manure be added ; continue the treatment as above' directed. Should it be desirable to start the bulbs in hot-beds, which can be safely done in March or April, the same line of treatment can be pursued, avoid- Tuberous Begonias. 7 ing, however, the steamy atmosphere which may collect in a hot-bed and cause the bulbs to rot. All "coddling" should be carefully avoided. As soon as the roots of the plants have filled the four or five-inch pot in which they are now growing (which can be easily ascertained by turning up the pots for examination) they should finally be potted into six or seven- inch pots for flowering. This should be done before they have become crowded with roots. A still stronger loam or soil may now be usedi and the plants potted a little more firmly than before. This will induce a firmer growth and more lasting qualities in both plant and bloom. The plants should now have all the light and air possible to promote and main- tain a healthy condition, and the soil should never be allowed to get dry, though on dark and cloudy days water should be judiciously given. The same temperature as heretofore may be continued. Should large specimens for exhibition be desired, then the plants may again be re-potted into still larger pots and the same potting material be used. Remove the first flower buds in order to promote a continuance of growth, instead of immediate bloom. After the plants become established in their blooming pots, they may be treated to a weak liquid manure. Sheen manure soaked in water is the best. This may be applied once a week, and care should be taken not to have it too strong. For bedding- out purposes seedling plants, as well as bulbs or tubers, can be used, pro- \'iding they are of a first-class strain ; it is of great importance to obtain them from a reliable source. Bulbs or tubers, however, are preferred if early flowering plants are desired ; plants grown from them will bloom more abundantly in the early part of the season, since they have the strength of the already formed bulbs to start with. Such flowering plants, whether grown from seeds or from bulbs, may be planted as early as the middle of May or the beginning of June. The only preparation necessary for these plants is the same as is usually made for all other bedding plants The best sized plants for bedding are those growing in three-and-one-half or four-inch pots. When bedding out, the earth in every pot should be thor- oughly moistened by abundant watering or by dipping the pots into a bucket of water, so that the plants will not suffer from drought before their roots are able to take hold of the soil in the bed. A slight shading, just enough to break the direct rays of the sun, for a few days after planting, will be of material benefit to the plants, as it enables them more quickly to recover. Light canvas, branches of trees, etc., are excellent. Now, all that is needed is to see that the plants never suffer for the want of water, and it may be necessary to give them an occasional watering in any dry spell which may occur during the hot summer months ; such waterings, however, should always be done in the evening. As regards the arrangement of these beautiful begonias in bedding out, the same ideas can be followed as The Rural Library. Fig. I. Single Tuberous Begonia. with geraniums, coleus or other bedding plants. Masses of solid crimson, scarlet, pink, rose, yellow, white, and the various intermediate shades, can be worked out to suit the taste. If the foregoing directions on the cultiva- Tuberous Begonias. 9 tion of these most satisfactory plants are followed, the beds or groaps of tuberous begonias will surpass all other bedding plants. Not only are the plants superior for bedding purposes, but for cut flowers they are as good as anything that can be had, and one need never be without flowers on the table while having a bed of these beautiful, most satisfactory and abundant- ly-blooming plants. The plants can be purchased as reasonably as almost any other class of bedding plants. When once obtained, the bulbs or tubers which are produced over the roots and under each flower stalk can be used year after year, producing stronger and more vigorous plants every successive season. The tubers, or bulbs, should be lifted, after the first frost, and stored away in the same manner as dahlias, gladiolus or cannas. — H. A. SiEBRECHT, Nev< Rochi'lU, A^ew York. TUBEROUS BEGONIAS SPECIES AND CULTURE. Tuberous begonias are truly gardeners' plants. The race has been ob- tained and established bv the florists within a short time. The present strains have been produced from Begonia Boliviensis, B. Fearcei, B. Veitchii and B. Davisi as the parent stocks, by hybridizing, selection and cross-fer- tilization : it is doubtful if the blood of B. Koezli, B. Weltonicnsis, B. diver- si folia, etc., enters into them, and no hybrids have been obtained with the non-tuberous varieties. The present perfection and development is largely due to Veitch, Laing, Cannell, in England, and to Van Houtte and Lemoine with others on the Continent. Tuberous begonias are certainly a charming and desirable class of plants, showing a wide range in color from the pure and creamy whites, through the pinks and salmons, up to scarlets and deep crimsons. The foliage is fine, and presents good variety ; the habits of growth are good, and there is comparative freedom from insects. We do not grow them so extensively as they are grown abroad, probably because they are little known, because they do not succeed as bedding-out plants in our hot, sunny, summer months, and because there are some difficulties in propa- gation, and in handling during their period of rest. • They seem to be best fitted for greenhouse decoration during summer and early autumn, and for growing in pots in the house and on the piazza at these seasons. If they are to be used as bedding plants, a rather shady and well protected situation is advisable, and plenty of water must be given. The cultivation is not very difficult. Use well drained pots, in size propor- tioned to the size of the tuber. The soil should be light and contain good gritty sand and plenty of well-rotted leaf-mould ; the manure also should be well-rotted. Pot firmly, and leave room for copious watering. Start into lo The Rural Library. growth during February and March, for a succession. The temperature in which they are grown should be 5o°-6o° F. , and if the pots are plunged in moss in bottom heat, so much the better. Water sparingly at first, but after growth begins in earnest, never let them get at all dry. Shift as the growth demands, and after each shift keep close and a little warmer for a day or two. Liquid manure may be used carefully on well-rooted and established plants. When, at the end of the season, the leaves turn yellow and the plants show that growth is complete, withhold water gradually, and pot them in winter quarters. Keep them in the pots, which should be placed on their sides under the benches where there is little drip. Place them so that those ripening first can be picked out for starting early the next season. I advise propagation by seed. Like pansies, cyclamen, cineraria and herbaceous calceolaria, the good strains from reliable growers are so well fixed that a large proportion of the seedlings will give plants of good habits, showing a wide range of color and foliage, and producing large flowers. Bud propagation is not necessary except in special cases, such as for saving seed and for exhibition. Seeds sown in February and March, if well grown, give blooming plants the following September. Sow the seed thinly, in well-drained pans or boxes, which may be plunged in bottom heat ; 60° F. is a good temperature. The soil should be light and contain plenty of sand. Leaf-mould is recommended, but it should be fine and old. Bring the soil up almost level with the rim and make it pretty firm. Use no soil to cover; a light watering will be enough, but a pane of glass should be kept on the pan until the seedlings are well established. Pinch off when large enough to handle, and continue this careful treatment until the plants are large. There is always some difficulty in growing plants from seed when the seed is small, and they are slow growers ; the trouble cornes from damping off. Last year I tried sowing in chopped sphagnum with meagre success. Next spring I shall try pure cow-dung from the pastures, as old as possible, dry and fine. We succeeded admirably this summer, using this for cinerarias, calceolarias, etc. The tuberous begonias can easily be propagated by cuttings, but the result is often a plant which does not make buds, and so cannot grow the second season. This is not uncommon in plants like dahlia and Sakna patens. When the cut is made at the base of the nods just under the leaf, and not planted too deeply, a perennial plant is produced, if this bud is a growing and not a blooming bud. If several shoots start from the base, they can be slipped off and used for cuttings with the same result. These facts may account partly for the trouble in carrying the plants through the winter. I have never tried leaf cuttings ; but a whole leaf, bud, and 7iibcro7is Begonias. 1 1 small portion of the stem will succeed. — B. M. Watson, Jr., Bussey Institution. TUBEROUS-ROOTED BEGONIAS. In Europe, at the present day, the tuberous-rooted begonia is receiving a large share of the attention of skillful cultivators, and no plant better repays the cultivator who devotes his time to hybridization than does this one. The colors of its flowers, both double and single, are of the most vivid scarlet, beautiful pink, and pure white, the flowers often measuring two inches or more in diameter. The individual flowers of the double varie- ties are often as large as the carnation and more brilliant in their color. Begonias are splendid plants for conservatory decoration during the sum- mer months, the plants being literally covered with blossom the entire sea- son. It will be necessary to shade the greenhouses from the direct rays of the sun. If planted in June in a sheltered place in the open ground where the plants do not get the direct rays of the sun, they make a most beautiful show, their bright colored flowers attracting universal attention. As yet they have not been largely planted in this country, but in Europe they are extensively grown. These begonias can be raised from seed sown in January or February, on a light soil, such as is used to sow fern-seed on. The seed and young plants will want carefrl watching, for in the close atmosphere necessary for germination, fungus is likely to appear and destroy the plants as they first come up. As soon as they can be handled the young plants should be transplanted into shallow boxes of light soil that will drain rapidly ; shift into small pots as the seedlings require. By September, the plants can be laid on their smiles under the bench of the greenhouses in a dry place, until the bulb starts to grow, which will be in February or March. Shake off the old soil and repot. The plant should be in flower by June, and will remain in flower until October, when the bulb can again be dried off. The bulb will last a number of years. — James Dean, Bay Ridge, N. Y. THR CULTURE OF TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. There are few plants that have improved as much in the past few years at the hands of the hybridizer as the tuberous rooted section of the popular begonia family, and fewer still that present more just claims for admiration, and a more extended cultivation. They have been grown in Europe for several years ; so much so that a few prominent houses in England and elsewhere have made a specialty of them, and plants are raised in large quantities for the home market as well as a large export trade. Their great 12 The Rural Library. /^-'"^■^^ FiG. 3. DouBLH Tuberous Begonia. range of color and general usefulness have within the past few years mad^ them favorites in this country, and their cultivation is annually on the increase. Tuberous Begonias. 13 Among this class of plants the hybridizer has achieved the utmost suc- cess, the result being flowers of both double and single varieties of innumer able shades of color, from pure white through rose and pink, to intense crim- son and fiery scarlet, and from the deepest yellow to tawny brown and bril" liant orange, presenting in all a bewildering variety of the most beautiful tints and shades. The tuberous begonias are desirable either as a summer bedding plant or for greenhouse and conservatory decoration through the summer months. If intended for out-door cultivation a position where the plants will receive partial shade from the mid-day sun should be selected, also where they will have an abundance of moisture. They succeed well in a rich loam of a loose, friable nature ; if the soil is stiff and clayey a liberal amount of leaf mold and sand should be added. In the northern states it is desirable to start the tubers in pots in the greenhouse and transfer them to the beds in the open ground at the same season as all other tender bedding plants are set out. Wejhave, however, in this latitude, obtained excellent results by planting the tubers in the beds where they are to bloom, after all danger of frost is passed. The tubers are planted not more than three inches below the surface of the bed. Avoid over-watering until they have started into a vigorous growth. A slight mulching of fine manure or other material to prevent the ground from becoming hard, as well as to check evaporation through July and August, will greatly benefit them. If desired to be grown in pots for the summer decoration of the porch or conservatory the tubers may be started any time after January. Pots just large enough to contain the tuber are sufficient for this purpose. A little mixture of fibrous loam, leaf-mold and sand makes an excellent com- post to start them, but as they advance in growth more loam should be used for the final potting, taking care to secure complete drainage, and never to shift into a larger size pot until the growth and vigor of the plants demand it. Liquid manure may be given to advantage when the plants have received their final shift and the pots become well filled with roots. Keep up a vigor- ous growth when once started; never let them get a check from any cause, and remove all old blooms, as soon as they fade, to insure continued flowering. Water must be withheld when the plants cease flowering, gradually at first, and as they begin to turn yellow it should be withheld altqgether. The tubers keep well if packed in sand under a greenhouse bench if not placed too near the pipes. A cellar or closet where frost does not enter will keep them equally well. If by any chance the tubers become shrunken fhey will regain their former plumpness by placing them in a moist place for a few hours, and sprinkling with tepid water. After frost has destroyed the plants grown out-doors they may be taken up and dried. Cut away the 14 7//^ Rural Library. old stems to within about two inches of the tubers, and after a little time these will gradually fall away, when the tubers may be cleaned and stored away for future use, just as is done with those grown in pots. The named varieties are all perpetuated by cuttings, though some growers hybridize theif finest sorts and save the seed. In this manner they rarely produce as fine a variety. The flowers of the double varieties can be used with good effect in many floral arrangments of designs or bouquets, by the aid of a wire stem. Seed sown in March will produce blooming plants by the end of July or early in August. The seed may be sown in an ordinary box or seed pan, which should be first filled half full with some material to give plenty of drainage, over which place some finely sifted soil to receive the seed. Scatter the seed thinly, and sufficient covering will be given by simply pre- ssing the soil down level. Keep in darkness by covering with glass and paper for a few days in a temperature of not less than 70°. As soon as the seedlings appear the covering must be be removed, and as soon as they have roots a quarter of an inch long, transplant them into small pots of nicely prepared soil. The seedlings are so small they cannot well be handled. A good plan is to take a pencil as a dibber ; loosen the soil around them, and by dipping the pencil in water the small plants will hang to it and can be placed in holes prepared for them in the small pots. Press down gently, sprinkle lightly and place in a temperature as before, for a few days ; afterwards gradually expose them to a medium temperature, where they can be shaded and kept near the glass. — James Morton, Tennessee. WHERE TO GROW TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. The tuberous begonia should be placed among the most beautiful of plants. It deserves to be grown by every lover of flowers and is worthy of the skill of the most skilful. However large the collection may be, monotony cannot be produced, as the flowers are of so many different col- ors and the leaves of various forms, and there is no purpose for which these begonias are unsuitable. The large flowered and double varieties are a beautiful feature in the conservatory, and it is for standing about a greenhouse and for placing in a light hall-way that these are most suitable. For hanging-baskets and for standing on brackets the drooping varieties should be selected. For bed- ding purposes these begonias are destined to supersede the geranium, and for this purpose the small flowered varieties are most desirable. For window culture tuberous begonias are without a rival, and can be grown as easily as the common plants generally seen, and with one-half of the trouble, for the corms can be dried off and stored away for the winter ; the Tjtberous Begonias. 15 dwarf varieties should be selected for this purpose. Every one who grows window plants should have at least a dozen tuberous begonias of different colors. For ordinary purposes I consider it best to raise the plants from seed. Some skill is required in this method, but it is much the cheapest, and plants good enough for producing cut-flowers and for decoration are easily obtained. The seed should always be purchased from a reliable source. I used to sow the seed in pans that were well-drained — in fact, they were more than half filled with the draining material. About an inch of good sandy loam was placed over the drainage, and about half an inch of leaf-mold and sand was put upon the loam. The leaf-mold was baked before it was used. The pan was placed in water for a time and then set aside to drain ; when the soil had become sufficiently dry, the seed was scattered very thinly on the surface. As the seed is exceedingly small this operation requires great care. The seed was lightly pressed into the soil, and the pan then covered with a piece of glass and placed in a temperature of 70.° The young plants were transplanted as soon as they had made a rough leaf, into well- drained boxes, filled with a soil composed of loam, sand, well-rotted manure and small pieces of charcoal ; I used to add leaf-mold -.vhen it was at hand. The tiny plants were set an incn apart and potted on as they required. Some were planted out in beds and others were grown during the sum- mer in pots These plants produced flowers the first season. Named sorts were increased by cuttings or b\' division of the crown. Cuttings about three inches long were taken off close to the crown. They were inserted in sand, covered with a glass, and given a temperature of 70.° The crowns were divided into two, three or four pieces as soon as the young shoots could be seen, and laid aside to dry for two or three days ; then potted in small pots and treated as above. Old plants were wintered in their pots, the pots being laid on their sides under the stage. When they began to grow in the spring they were shaken out and placed in small pots, and potted on as they required until eight-inch pots were reached. When they became pot-bound, they were watered once or twice a week with clear manure water. Amateurs needing plants for window gardens should buy one year old crowns in March, pot them in small pots, and stand them in a warm room with a sunny window. When the roots reach the sides of the pot they should be given a larger pot. It is very unwise to repot a plant before the roots have penetrated the soil in which it is growing. At no time during the winter should the crowns be kept in a temperature lower than 45.° — H. W. Smith, Baton Koitge, La. i6 The Rural Library. TUBEROUS BEGONIAS AS BEDDING PLANTS. Our Birmingham correspondent writes; Mr. Bell's note as to his suc- cess with these plants at Baroncourt, Ireland, in your last issue, is identical with the experience gained in the immediate neighborhood of Birmingham by Mr. Cooper, in the pleasure grounds at Highbury, the residence of the Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, M. P. Two beds of these were bright with flower late into October, when the pelargoniums were comparatively with- out flowers and shabby ; and Mr. Copper told me that for the future he should rely a great deal more on begonias and violas than he had hitherto done. Of course it is necessary to grow the plants on in a cool house slowly and get them thoroughly hardened before planting out, and to select situations where the soil is not cold and heavy. The more the beauty and usefulness of both the begonia and viola become known, the more generally will they be used for summer and autumn A&cox2^Uovi.— Gardening World. TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. Just now tuberous begonias are attracting the flower loving and flower buying public to a greater extent than ever before, even though the half is not known. The reason, however, is obvious to anyone acquainted with these plants and their habits. A begonia is one of the most gorgeous, pro- lific and persistent blooming plants we have. It blooms from seed in four months, and continues smothered with flowers for months. A few remarks on growing them from seed may be in order. Get good fresh seed from a reliable firm. Do not buy it until January 20, because you will be more likely to obtain new seed at this time than ear- lier. Sow about February 15, when nature is awakening for the new year. Sow one or two packets in a five or six-inch pot filled to within half an inch of the top with good, fibrous, peaty soil, nearly one half sand ; some pulver- ized moss, say one eighth by bulk, will help it. Mix all thoroughly, and run through a coarse sieve if you have one. Scatter the seed evenly over the surface and press the surface down evenly with a small piece of wood. Sprinkle thoroughly with a hand sprinkler, without washing, and set in a warm place with a pane of glass over the pot. The glass should be raised about an inch on one side during the day. At night put it down close. In the morning wipe off all the moisture that collects on the glass over night. Keep the soil always moist ; do not let it get perfectly dry for a moment. Two weeks after the seed comes up is the most critical time for damping or drying off. When the little plants are about the size of the end of a lead pencil, having two leaves and the third one just starting, take the point of a stick and prick them out about half an inch apart in other pots, filled with the same kind of soil. After the leaves are hardened and about half Tuberous Bc^oniar. 17 *'5>V,,. Fig 4. A Good Seedling. 1 8 The Riiral IJbrarv. an inch in diameter, put one plant in a three-inch pot When this plant has grown so that it nearly covers the top of the pot, shift it into a five-inch pot, if you want it to flower in that size. If wanted to grow in a frame or bed outside, transplant directly from the three-inch pot into soil well pulverized and well manured. Raise the beds a little so the water will not stand around the bulbs. Buy your bulbs any time from February to May ist for bedding ; plant outside about May 15 in beds slightly raised, well manured, and thoroughly pulverized. The bulbs should be set about three inches deep and six inches apart. If you want an early display of flowers start the bulbs in pots about April I, planting from the pots about May 20, as foliage will be a little tender. The plants will soon begin to flower and will continue covered with bloom until touched by frost. They can be taken up in pots before a heavy frost and will continue to bloom inside for some months. The bulbs must be rested a few months each year. When dug up from the beds after the frost has killed the foliage, spread them out in dry boxes in a dry place, cutting the stem off close to the bulbs. After the ground and roots have become powder dry, the bulbs should be rubbed and made perfectly clean. The stem should be cleaned off close, or the moisture from its decay will sometimes start the bulb to rot. After the bulbs are clean, store them in sawdust or dry sand, in a dry cellar or any other moderately warm place. The value of tuberous begonias may be seen at once, not only because they yield an immense number of flowers, but they can be used for so many purposes ; and at any time you wish to have flowers, by a little care you can have them in full glory. The bulbs are very easy to keep and to grow, they last a length of time, and improve for many years. The plants are at once showy, easy of cultivation, and cheap. They can be gotten from most any good dealer at very moderate prices. Try a dozen or more of single mixed varieties first. Next season try some singles under color ; they make a beautiful contrast for bedding. Then further try the double varie- ties. These are much more expensive, but really not beautiful enough to be worth the higher price usually charged. Still, some of the named varie- ties are wonderful to behold ; but these sorts cost to-day from fifty cents to a dollar each ; for specimen plants they are really worth it. — E. V. Hal- lock, Long Island. BEGONIA BEAUMANNI. This plant is remarkable on account of the manner of its growth, which is far superior to that of most of the other species of begonias. Some of the large tubers, in their native country, weigh about a pound, but a tuber as large as a small potato sends up a short, thick, trunk which Tuberous Begonias. 19 Begonia Beaumanni. breaks up into live or six short branches. Each of these short braches gives to five or six large flower stalks, which grow to a height of twenty inches rise above the foliage before flowering. 20 The Rural Li 000 910 291 7 The branches and flower stalks are fleshy and of a red-purpls color, the leaves are reniform and nearly symmetrical ; their upper side is of a deep green color, but the lower side is bronze green or red. Each flower stalk usually carries five flowers — three staminate, and two pistillate, although sometimes fewer are borne. The staminate flowers have four petals, the latter being very much larger than the other two. This gives a very characteristic appearance ; their diameter is about four inches. The flowers are perfectly open and the petals freely exposed, the latter have the edges incised, and marked. The odor is very agreeable, and not strong enough to be apprehensive. This begonia is a plant that will give surprising results if grown with other tuberous varieties. — Lenioine, in Le Jardin.