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Show Tuberous Begonias Are Easily Cultivated . By Cwll Solly The bulb's are very easy to crow, they must be plump and Lm' when used. They may be started indoors at any time from February to early April to suit your own convenience. "flat" should be prepared using a 50-50 mixtur of Peat moss and garden soil into which some pea-sized pieces of charcoal h3ve been thoroughly mixed. In March ' the bulbs are livened up arid activity started by pressing the round side of the bulb down into the soil of the flat so that they look as if they are just "floating" on top. On no account must the hollow crown be covered. ff-d regularly in small doses, with any good well-balanced commercial commer-cial fertilizer. Just how much feed to give depends on the soil condition. If, at any time, it is noticed that the leaves or flowers, begin to get smaller ,it is a sign that they need more food or water, wa-ter, or both. If the leaves show any sign of yellowing they may be getting too much food. t The soil must be kept continually continual-ly moist but not sprinkled or some water might remain in the important im-portant crowns and cause them to rot. This is one of the most common com-mon causes of failure. In about two weeks the hollow crown will show a pink swelling which is the first appearance of the stem. Until Un-til these start to show, the "flat" must be kept in the basement or the garage where plenty of air circulation cir-culation is provided. When the buds begin to make good growth, the "flat" should be placed in a light, sunny window and the soil kept plenty moist. Great care should be taken not to damage in any way the new shoots. They are very delicate. After the shoots get about an inch high, the first leaves will appear ap-pear and the plant will be ready to be set into a pot of rich soil. It will remain in the pots until it is sit out-of-doors. The soil in the pot should be very rich and it is best to use individual in-dividual four-inch pots. Place some coarse material in the bottom for good drainage. Cover this with a small layer of coarse sand. The soil should be a mixture of peat moss and rich garden soil in equal proportions. A small quantity of garden sulphur and fine charcoal is also of great assistance in keeping keep-ing this rich soil in "condition." When transplanting, set the bulb near the surface. Some gardeners gar-deners set the bulb at an angle, so that no moisture can collect in the hollow center from which the stem grows. While the plants are indoors, it is advisaoble to keep them in a cool place (about 50 deg.) so as to promote a slow but sturdy growth anu to. avoid any radical temperature tempera-ture condition when they are set outdoors. Should any flowers appear while indoors it is best to pick them off until a week or so before setting them out. This will encourage a much finer garden display. Setting the Plants Out of-Doors . . Tuberous begonias need a large quantity of water at all times. Therefore, the soil in the garden site must be prepared to hold the largest amount of moisture by enriching en-riching it with plenty of peat moss. The plants are heavy feeders, too, but may easily suffer from "indigestion" if they get too much at one time. The plants should be |