I879-] THE CULTIVATION OF CLEMATIS. 251 



from the house when the wood begins to ripen and the foliage loses 

 its freshness. This certainly entails more labour, in training the 

 plants round stakes to prevent them from being broken, until they 

 again start into new growth. 



The Clematis is valuable as an outdoor climber for furnishing 

 walls and climbing over verandas, and produces a gorgeous effect 

 when employed in pleasure-grounds in suitable nooks and corners. 

 The Jackmanii type is most suitable for this purpose ; still the old 

 C. flammula with its small flowers is not to be ignored, especially if 

 used where it can ramble at will and produce a semi- wild appearance. 

 In fact, any of the class used for the purpose referred to are best left 

 to enjoy the freedom of nature when the surroundings are of a natural 

 character, — as when the limb of an old tree is given them to ramble 

 over, or a portion of a broken-down wall, or anything that will be in 

 character with the portion of the ground where they are employed. 

 They can also be planted on the sides of banks and slopes in company 

 with Ivies, Cotoneasters, Heaths, &c, to form a groundwork, with 

 choice Coniferae dotted at suitable distances, where this natural and 

 easy system of planting is appreciated. 



We have also seen Jackmanii used with great taste in the flower- 

 garden ; and few things are more beautiful than a number of these plants 

 plunged into a large bed in pots, or planted out if intended to remain 

 permanent, and trained over a low wire-trellis, say one foot or eigh- 

 teen inches above the soil. When employed in such positions, as by 

 the side of a winding walk banked more or less with shrubs, and in 

 convenient places in large beds cut out in the turf, such plants can 

 be used with advantage, and flower until very late in the autumn, if 

 not cut off by early frosts. 



Where conservatories have to be kept gay all the year with flower- 

 ing plants, a number of Clematis grown in pots is invaluable. C. 

 indivisa lobata is a charming plant in a pot, and useful for cutting : 

 being an evergreen species, it is not at any season of the year un- 

 sightly. It can with judicious management be had in bloom by the 

 end of January or February. For late winter and early spring, C. 

 Lady Londesborough is the freest I am acquainted with : it stands 

 forcing well, and produces its flowers in abundance early in the season, 

 as it appears to do later on. C. Lord Londesborough, Miss Bateman, 

 Sophia, pleno, Mrs Barr, Mrs Badger, Standishii, and Lucie Lemoine 

 flower very freely a little later in the season. The lanuginosa, Law- 

 soniana, and Henryii type will not do for forcing, yet they will bloom 

 freely in pots, and are worthy of pot-culture for the immense size of 

 their flowers, especially the latter variety. Jackmanii and the rubella 

 type axe good summer and late-autumn bloomers. 



