Revue Horticole, Anne 1913 Les Begonias a suspensions. (The Hanging Begonias) At the London International Exhibition, last spring, there was much in the tent of cut flowers, fruit and vegetables, and the pretty Begonias in hanging baskets presented by MM. Blackmore & Langdon, Bath (Somerset). Although badly lit (the tent being situated between two lines very close to big trees), they produced a delightful effect, and everyone was ecstatic about the grace of these pretty double flowers. In charming colors, seeing the hundreds blooms on each plant. It was the variety of a Begonia of French origin, B. "Fleur de Chrysantheme” (or B. chrysanthemiflora), obtained there thirty years ago by Mr. Chauvet, horticulturist Bourray, and put to trade in 1893. Mr. Chauvet wrote to us that his Begonia came from a hybridization operated on B. breed "Bouchet" with drooping flowers, cultivated at this time. “Marie Bouchet” is an extremely vigorous and floriferous variety of this breed; its brilliant bright red flowers are quite remarkable. After having been painted in the Revue Horticole in 1879, she had been seen less frequently of late; she came back a few years ago, and received in 1911 a certificate of merit in London, where many people took her for a novelty. The very special hanging plant is found in the B. "Fleur de Chrysantheme" and makes it particularly interesting for the ornamentation of the front of cool green shelves, and especially for the garniture of apartments and winter gardens, as well as for that of large stone or cast-iron vases which frequently adorn the regular-style flower beds, when these vases are at a sufficiently shaded exposure. It is, we said, very floriferous. Most often, as well as in almost all B. doubles, its flowers are arranged by three on a common peduncle: a male flower and two smaller female flowers. The petals are very numerous, the outer ones wide about 1 centimeter, the internal ones shorter and shorter; all are more or less regularly curved outside and rounded, which gives a little to the flower the aspect of that of Chrysanthemum. All petals are uniformly of a pretty salmon pink. The stems are shiny, reddish; the leaves dark green, purple below, rather large, narrow. In England, the B. "Fleur de Chrysantheme" was quickly appreciated. Thanks to the humid climate of the country, it develops admirably and the shade of its flowers is of a delicacy that it rarely has at home. In this country, B. "Fleur de Chrysantheme" was (worked) by several horticulturists, notably by MM. Blackmore and Langdon, the breeders of "Lena". Of the type, B. "Lena" has all the characteristics: very double flowers, very abundant, carried by peduncles of 6 to 8 centimeters, small and reddish; very falling port. Its color, of a very bright pink carmine, makes it one of the most beautiful hanging plants imaginable. "Carminia", no less elegant, is a little darker in color, this one being red carmine. "Starfish" is crimson pink; its flowers are double, petal long, pointed and graciously rounded. "Golden Shower" differs from the previous ones by a copper and gold yellow color, similar to that of the pretty Rose "William Allen Richardson". "Lloydii" is an achievement of MM. Sutton and son. Its habit is perhaps a little less drooping than in the varieties we have just pointed out; its flowers, with long, narrow petals, are white; it is in fact a plant of great merit. Still other varieties, such as "Alba plena fimbriata", pure white, "Alice Manning", yellow, "Gladys", dark red, "Mrs. Bilkey ", orange salmon, are quite remarkable and very recommendable for baskets, abundantly flowery. Finally, let us mention two hybrids, the first, we believe, which were obtained starting from B. "Fleur de Chrysantheme", of which the breeder is Mr. Guillaume Eysser, horticulturist at Saint-Germain. We want to talk about B. "Perfection rose” and “Eclaireur [Scout]", put on the market last year by the house L. Ferard of Paris. Both come from the cross of B. "Fleur de Chrysantheme" by B. boliviensis. In the latter, they have borrowed larger branches, a more erect habiy and a more compact vegetation, which makes them suitable for the ornamentation of the beds. "Pink Perfection" has, as regards the inflorescence, all the characters of "Fleur de Chrysantheme"; it can only be distinguished by its general appearance, its vigor and its hardiness which are greater, its color which is of a pale carne pink "Eclaireur [Scout]" presents these same characters; yet his petals are a little shorter, wider, and more robust, so that he seems to have to begin a rather distinct series, in which M. Eysser announces that he has just obtained, in addition soon there will be varieties in yellow, salmon and red currant. For the purpose of studying at the same time as ornamental, we have made this year, in our cultures, plantations of these various Begonias. Without being absolutely sunny, all were exposed to direct light. All summer, the vegetation has been very luxuriant and the decorative effect of the most successful. These Begonias thus have real advantages by the special jobs that can be made of them; moreover, by the lightness of their flowers, the last two varieties, "Eclaireur" & "Rose Perfection", are much superior to tuberous Begonias usually grown in clumps. They have a future assured, and we warmly recommend them. - E. Laumonnier-Ferard.
