Perhaps no class of decorative plants has been so much improved of late years, and the cultivation of them so much increased, as that forming the subject of these remarks. Tuberous Begonias are now become quite indispensable in almost every place of any pretensions; and they certainly well deserve all the care and attention bestowed upon them. They are so various in their shades, colours, and habits, and generally so free-flowering, and continue flowering for such a length of time, that as a decorative greenhouse plant they are unrivalled. They are easily grown, either from seed or by cuttings. When a good strain of them is grown, it is desirable to save one's own seed by crossing with approved kinds. They generally seed pretty freely. The seed should be sown early in spring, in pots or pans prepared with equal proportions of loam and leaf-mould, with a dash of sand, finishing off with some finely-sifted soil for the seed-bed. Sow the seed and press it gently into the soil with a piece of board, or any thing else suitable: water through a fine rose, and cover with a piece of glass until the seed begins to vegetate, when the glass should be tilted up a little, so as to allow a little air to get in.

The pans must be set in a warm house.

When the seedlings are fit to handle, either pot them off singly, or better still, prick out a few into 4- or 6-inch pots. This will not necessitate such frequent waterings. Should they be potted singly in small pots, they might be plunged in cutting-boxes among leaf-mould or sawdust, which will keep them at a more uniform degree of moisture. As it is desirable to have the bulbs as strong as possible, they should not be allowed to stand still, but be kept growing on in heat the first season, and regularly attended to with water - yet not overdone, else they may damp off.

Now as regards wintering them. Many have experienced some difficulty in keeping them over the winter; and indeed we have more than once known gardeners lose almost their entire stock during the winter months, and we have suffered ourselves in the same way. The usual way was to dry them off entirely, laying the pots on their side in some out-of-the-way place, and keeping them dust-dry all winter. Well, this is a mistake which we were also guilty of at one time, but have now abandoned for what we consider the more rational one, of keeping the bulbs fresh by a moderate supply of water during the time they are at rest, and in a temperature of about 50°, and we now seldom lose any. They will begin to push away at the proper time, or may be hastened by being introduced into a warmer house and more liberally supplied with water. They may be repotted or shifted into larger pots after they have made a few inches of growth, using good fibry loam, a little peat, and enough sand to keep it free and open. They require to be very carefully watered for a time after shifting, especially if they have got a large shift, else they may damp off.

A layer of well-rotted dung may be placed over the crocks, which the roots will revel in when they reach it.

When a collection of named varieties is grown, and it is thought desirable to increase them, this may be done by cuttings taken from off the old plants as soon as they have made enough growth for that purpose. In selecting the cuttings care should be taken to choose non-flowering shoots, as those bearing flowers do not readily form bulbs; and though they thrive well enough during the summer, the chances are that all will go off during winter. Cuttings may be put into any convenient size of pot or pan, draining them carefully, and filling to within an inch and a half of the rim with ordinary potting soil, and then fill up with sharp river or silver sand. Insert the cuttings, water, cover with a bell-glass, and then plunge the pots where a brisk bottom-heat is maintained; they will root in two or three weeks, when they may be potted off singly and treated as described above for seedlings.

Though Tuberous Begonias do well in a greenhouse after they are fairly established, still in the earlier stages of their growth each season they must have heat until they reach the flowering stage, and even then they do best in a warm greenhouse or intermediate house. They do not like cold draughts, therefore they should not be placed where there is risk of this. In the south of England and in parts of Ireland some of the kinds do fairly well planted out of doors. It is to be feared, however, that we will never get a strain of them sufficiently hardy to stand out in Scotland. Even in England and in Ireland any plants that we have seen had a dwarfish, stunted habit of growth, and were not at all to be compared to the general run of Geraniums for effect in the flower-garden. J. G., W.

Tuberous Begonias #1

Another year's experience of these as border-plants more than confirms our high opinion of them for outdoor decoration. In fact they are by far the most effective beds amongst very many things this exceptionally wet and sunless summer. Large plants can be had the first season from seed sown in the end of January or early in February; and these can be grown to almost any size the second year. Many fail in getting the seed to vegetate, chiefly, we think, because they cover it. It should be sown in a moderately fine surface of light rich soil and not covered, but merely covering the seed-pan with a piece of glass or paper. The surface should never be allowed to become dry; and it vegetates best in a temperature of 65° to 70°. As bedding-plants, they are most easily managed. The bulbs can be pitted, mixed with moderately moist soil, and kept from frost till they show signs of sprouting, when they are "run out" into light rich soil in cold frames, from which they are transplanted into their flowering quarters.

In moist localities Geraniums have no chance with Begonias for a display of brilliant bloom.