Bedford Horticultural Society

At the Annual Meeting of this Society, the following officers were chosen for the ensuing year:

HENRY H. CRAPO, President. James Arnold, William P. Jenney, Jonathan Bourne, Jr., William Swift, Vice Presidents. Edward S. Taber, Treasurer. R. C. Anthony, Recording Sec'y. J. H. W. Page, Cor. Sec'y.

Beep Planting Of Fruit-Trees And Preventive Of Blight

Out of eight to ten hundred apple trees so deeply set that an ordinary spade thrust square down will not reach the uppermost roots, we have yet to see the first case of bark bursting or blight. We attribute the exemption of our trees from these diseases, or whatever else they may be called, solely to deep planting, and nothing else. We do not know of another orchard about us where the trees are set so deep, nor do we know of one of older or equal age wherein cases of blight or bark bursting have not occurred. - Western Pomologist.

Befaria Aestuans (Glowing Befaria)

This has been also called Acuna oblonga. It is a native of the Andes Mountains in South America, where it was found by Mr. W. Lobb at about 8000 feet above the sea. It is a hardy greenhouse shrub. The name of the genus is also spelt Bejaria, under which it will be found in The Cottage Gardiners' Dictionary. (Ibid. 4818).

Begonia Griffithii

A. most beautiful species from Bhotan; the leaves upon young plants, are obliquely cordate, and which I think will be large when fully developed; the ground color is a deep rich green, very handsomely variegated; the centre and margin a deep red with a pale green band between them.

The above description is taken from quito young plants when fully developed; I think this will not only prove a valuable acquisition, but one of the most beautiful of all this popular tribe.

Begonia Grrijfithsii, Var. Picta

A handsome medium-sized plant from South America. Leaves nearly round, and of a dark-green color; with a zone in the middle of a greenish-white. The zone shows through the leaf. Underneath, the color is crimson. Increased by cuttings; though there is little doubt it would increase by laying a leaf on sand in close heat, dividing it in many pieces in the same way that the beautiful Begonias raised from Begonia rex are increased.

Begonia Herallifolia Var. Nigvicans (Syn. B. Punctata)

A fine winter-flowering variety, the flowers of which are borne on large panicles nearly white, the wing of the seed-pod rose-colored with the seed-pods a light green, forming a very pretty and delicate contrast; the foliage, which is palmate, is beautifully blotched with black on the margin of the lobes.

Begonia Hydrocotyfolia Manicata

A very interesting and beautiful variety of a close growing habit; the foliage of which is round, large, and beautifully mottled, with spikes near two feet long; of rose-colored flowers, one of the very handsomest winter-flowering kinds.

Begonia Laciniata (Cut-Leaved Begonia)

A native of Silhet, Nepal, and Eastern Bengal. Flowers, large, white, tinged with pink. The leaves beautifully variegated, with purple round the edge, and in the centre of the upper surface; the edge and veins on the under surface deep pink. - Ibid., t. 5021.