Decorah-posten., 1898-07-15
Rex Begonias .

There seems to be a disposition
on the part OF every Enthusiast IN
the culture of flowers to attempt
growing those plants most difficult
to cultivate successfully, and where
patient care and thoughtful at
tention is given they do thrive be-
yond The most sanguine expecta-
tions. Failures come to the most
expert gardeners sometimes. We
must expect them, and not grow
discouraged, but try again re-
peatedly. It's this patient per
severance which crowns the efforts
of the successful florists.
Amateurs, in many instances,
and with many rare plants, are as
successful as a professional florist
The time was when florists rather
discouraged the amateur by say
ing: Such and such plants are
not grown with any success out
side a greenhouse" The culture
OF the rex begonia has always
been considered almost impossible
in the hands of an amateur. and
specially without greenhouse
facilities, yet ct has been my
pl~easuse to see some very hand
some specimens in the hands of
these very green amateurs.
A friend grew one as a pet. and
a finer one | never saw in any
greenhouse. 1t was a Queen OF
Hanover, with a leaf OF soft, vel
vety texture covered with red pile,
the edge green, the zone silver
dots" When asked how she sue
ceeded so we'll and kept it in such
a healthy state, she replied: Il pot
it in light rich loan, loose woods
earth and a little sharp sand, not
the kind that will bake, but real
gritty. Keep it warm and moist,
and during summer completely in
the shade. ] try to give moisture
to the under side of the leaves,
and for this purpose ! keep those
saucers around the plant filled
with water constantly" There is
the secret OF their culture. Alight,
open, rich soil, a warm and moist
atmosphere, with no handling OF
leaves.
One year ! grew some very
desirable specimens in the follow
ing manner: took an old kitchen
table and tackled strips of boards
four inches wide all around it,
forming a receptacle for a good
bed of sand. Then tackled four
upright pieces to each corner and
horizontal pieces from corner to
corner. Over this | tackled un-
bleached cotton cloth, a cheap
grade, having the strip at the front
TO use as a curtain. | set this
table at the north side of the
house, and placed my pots of rex
begonias on the wet sand. | kept
the sand moist by a daily wetting,
and how the plants revelled in
their little greenhouse. Little
drops of moisture wouldb formed
on the leaves, the large, beautiful
leaves in the morning looking like
drops of dew, when outside the
earth was parched. This was
summer treatment. When the
plants were brought into the house
in early September, they were
given the top shelf in a north
window, with plenty of heat, and
moisture supplied by saucers un-
derneath the plants.
Another plan for supplying
moisture indoors is to have a zinc
pan filled with water and place in
it bricks. upon which set the pots.
A floral sister gave me this idea,
and found it worked admirable.
also found one might syringe the
rex varieties the same as other
varieties, if careful not to let the
sun neal them until dry. The
leaves must be kept free of dust,
and a gentle Swinging is beneficial.
Cover the plants while sweeping
to prevent the dust settling on the
handsome leaves. To lose even
one leaf from the plant is to be
regretted, as they are so very
beautiful and sometimes SO varied
An amateur could succeed
reasonable Weighted with d
little patience and a liberal amount
OF common sense-with the follow.
ing varieties: Queen of Hanover
Queen Victoria, Roy Ferd Major
and Duchess of Brabant. 1t i.
better TO try but a few at first
then, if successful, get the more
expensive ones. There is an un
speakable pleasure in growing
something not common, and some
plant which everybody has no
succeeded with.
NJ. K. WAGGoNRR.