Evening star., 1940-05-25

leafmold, barnyard manure (also
well rotted), together with some
peatmoss and sand thoroughly
mixed is the recommendation. Bone
meal may be added at the rate of /
gallon to each bushel of the above
mixture. Lacking compost, one may
used well-decayed woods soil, which
if supplemented with bonemeal may
also take the place of the manure.
The first mentioned mixture, how
ever, is not so difficult to obtain
and is to be preferred A 6-inch
layer provides the essential planting
space
Moisture, the third requirement,
can be readily understood If we re-
member that, in their native lands,
these treasures from South Amer
lea grow under quite humid con-
ditions. Frequent showers and air
that is fairly dripping with mois-
ture cannot be quite duplicated here.
but we can apply fine spray to the
foliage and soil as needed. Spray
ing foliage and flowers in the heat
of midday is often advisable dur
ing August and September. The
exposition grounds at San Francisco
has many tuberous- begonias,
which added very materially to the
beauty of Treasure Island. The
fogs and moisture laden breezes are
largely responsible for their splen-
did showing there.
Ordinarily one buys the tubers,
peculiar looking cup-shaped bulbs, as
some call them, in March and starts
them in box of peat and sand.
Then by mid-May when it is safe to
plant them out-of doors they are
well started. However, the tubers
may be purchased now and planted
in beds or boxes where they will
furnish late summer and fall
flowers.
Proper Planting
Essential.
Plant the tubers with the con-
cave side up, pressing them into
the soil, never deeper than to barely
cover them. II the soil IS moist at
planting time, no water is necessary
until the leaves are formed. Because
their roots are so close to the sur
face Of the ground they should not
be cultivated. An occasional feeding
helps to produce more and larger
flowers. Begonias in pots and boxes
require more feeding than those in
beds, and if planted in soil that
lacks manure and decayed humus
still more frequent feeding is neces-
sary to secure the desired growth.
Most growers recommend the pinch
ing of of the first flower buds to
stimulate strong growth and we'll
branched plants. Also to achieve this
end it is desirable to grow tubers
in cool place, not over 65' when
starting them indoors.
For the beginner tubers are re-
commended, but these lovely flowers
can, with patience, be raised from
seed. The seed are as fine as dust
and so more than the usual amount
of effort and care are needed to pro-
duce flowering-sized tubers, but it
can be done. Since these begonias
are hybrids they do not come true
from seed. Each new seeding will
produce some interesting variation,
to reward the patience of the gar
dener. Many will be worth keeping.
Seed should be started indoors
in early February. A cool place is
desirable if one wishes to grow good
sized tubers by fall. Small pots are
used and the soil mixture should
contain more loan than the plant
ing mixture recommended above.
The top layer of soil should be put
through fine screen to keep the
tiny seed from settling too deeply.
Moisten and let drain before plant
ing the seed, which should be scat
tered over the soil and not covered
with soil. Cover the pot with pa
per or glass. Because these tiny
seedlings are very succulent and
fragile, air should be admitted each
day to prevent "damping- As
soon as the true leaves appear it
is well to lift them and plant in a
fiat where they will not become too
crowded. BY June they will be
large enough to plant out-of- doors
in a shaded frame where they can
be protected from wind and heavy
rains.
In the fall with the approach of
killing frosts the tubers should be
carefully lifted, dried off for a week
or two and placed in boxes of peat
moss. They should be stored in a
fairly airy place having a temper
ature of 45o to So.