g box or saucer, and treated as ordinary
cuttings. The new growth will come up from the rib. (Illustration facing
page 40). Some of the foliage begonias have long, thick stems, or
"rhizomes" growing just above the soil; from these the leaves grow.
Propagate by cutting the rhizome into pieces about two inches long and
covering in the rooting medium.

The most satisfactory way to select your begonias is to see them
actually growing at the florist's. In case selection cannot be made,
thus, however, the following brief descriptions may be helpful. The
begonia with the most showy flowers is the "coral" begonia--(in
catalogues B. _maculata_, var. Corallina). The flowers, which grow in
large clusters, reach half an inch across.

Begonias _rubra_, Alba, Vernon, _nitida_ and _N. alba_, Luminosa,
Sandersoni and _semperflorens_, _gigantea rosea_, are all good sorts.

For foliage, _Begonia metallica_, is the most popular. The flowers while
not conspicuous are very pretty. _B. Thurstoni_, _albo-picta_, and
_argenteoguttata_ are also very attractive, the two latter having small
silvery spots upon the leaves.

Of the large leaved Rex begonias new varieties are frequently
introduced. They are seldom improvements over the old favorites,
Philadelphus, Silver Queen, Fire King, Mrs. Rivers and others.

One of the most glorious of all flower sights is a plant of begonia
Gloire de Lorraine in full bloom. It makes a graceful hanging mass of
the most beautiful pink flowers. I cannot, however, conscientiously
recommend it as a house plant. The best way is to get a plant, say in
October, which is just about to bloom. Even if you lose it after it is
through blooming--they continue in flower for several months--it will
have been well worth the expense. But it is not necessary to lose it.
When through flowering give it less water and keep in a cool light
place. During summer keep it as cool as possible, on the veranda, or
plunged in the shade of a tree. About September rapid growth will be
made and it may gradually be given full sunlight.

Gloire Cincinnati is a splendid begonia of very recent introduction and
it is claimed to be much hardier than Gloire de Lorraine, but whether it
will prove satisfactory as a house plant I cannot say. There are many
other beautiful kinds of begonias besides the few described above. If
you have room, by all means try some of them.

As to soil, add about one-third of thoroughly pulverized leaf-mould to
the p