544 



H ORT1 CU LTU RE 



(i.t. .her 24, 1908 



THE POEHLMANN BROS.' ESTABLISHMENT, 

 Which every visitor at the National Flower Show will want to see. 



HARDY CLEMATISES AND OTHER 



USEFUL VINES AND SHRUBS. 



A paper read before the New York Florists' 

 Club, by Antoine Wlntzer. 



As all plantsmen know the Hardy 

 Clematis family forms a group of most 

 desirable hardy climbers. They are 

 suitable to plant in almost any place 

 where the fancy of the gardener or 

 grower desires to have them, so I 

 will not enlarge on that topic as full 

 details can be found in Bailey's En- 

 cyclopedia, also the leading catalogs 

 of America and Europe. 



Glancing, mentally, over the field it 

 has often occurred to me that the 

 Clematis family would prove a fasci 

 nating pastime for the plant breeder 

 of ample means and leisure, and we 

 sincerely hope that some of our noted 

 breeders may soon be inspired to take 

 up the work, if it has not been taken 

 in hand. 



Probably It is not generally known 

 that over 40 years ago several thous- 

 and fine young clematis seedlings of 

 the lanuginosa and azurea grandi- 

 flora strain were raised by that en- 

 terprising and talented plantsman, the 

 late Eugene Beauma, at Morrisiana, 

 New York, in 1864. Nearly all the 

 seedlings produced very fine large 

 flowers, some of them fully as good as 

 the named varieties we have at the 

 present time. The seed was sown as 

 soon as matured In shallow wooden 

 boxes; the young seedlings were then 

 planted in the field the following 

 spring, and left out over winter, the 

 next spring they would bloom freely. 

 One strong point in favor of those 



seedlings was, that nearly all produced 

 large flowers adhering pretty close to 

 the type, and they were of unusually 

 healthy and vigorous growth. It is my 

 firm belief that had the good work 

 been continued, a remarkable strain 

 could have been produced. 



While we seem to have done -little 

 toward improving the family, the 

 European breeders are doing grand 

 work along this line. In glancing over 

 their catalogs one can find from 50 to 

 75 or more varieties and types listed. 

 Nearly all our leading firms are satis- 

 fied with from five to ten varieties. 

 They have .evidently learned from ex- 

 perience that very few of the large 

 flowering varieties are adapted to our 

 climate. If this is the case we should 

 strive our utmost to breed as good or 

 better varieties suitable for our cli- 

 mate. Perhaps someone is doing the 

 good work in silence. 



The following are some of the large 

 flowering varieties mostly of lanugi- 

 nosa. Jackmani, and viticella types, 

 generally cataloged by the leading 

 firms: Jackmani, violet purple; 

 Henryii creamy white; Gypsy Queen, 

 dark purple, velvety; Ramona, deep 

 blue, very fine; Mad. Baron Viellard, 

 shade of lavender pink; Ville de Lyon, 

 carmine red; Star of India, shade of 

 purple; Miss Bateman, silvery white; 

 Lanuginosa Candida, pure white; Belle 

 of Woking, silvery gray; Countess of 

 Lovelace, bluish lilac, double; Jack- 

 mani Surperba, deep violet purple. 

 Clematis paniculata. 



This beautiful and popular Japan- 

 ese variety has grown to be a general 



favorite; its graceful sprays of fleecy 

 white flowers are always attractive. It 

 is readily increased by seedlings. The 

 seed is usually sown as soon as ma- 

 tured in green house, and the young 

 plants potted singly, and planted in 

 the field in May or June. Other meth- 

 ods are sometimes pursued. 



Clematis Virginiana. 



This native is found growing wild 

 usually in moist places, near the banks 

 of rivers and brooks by the margins 

 of woodlands, also in neglected fence 

 corners. Its sprays of white flowers 

 form a pleasing sight in early autumn. 

 It is easily increased from seed. 

 Clematis flamula. 



This European variety was more ex- 

 tensively grown formerly that at the 

 present time. Flowers small white 

 clusters. Its roots are used as stock 

 to graft the large flowered varieties on. 

 Erect Varieties, Semi-Shrubby. 



Clematis Davidiana, a late flowering 

 variety, small tubular-shaped blue, 

 flowers in August and September. 

 Grown from seed. 



Clematis stans. 

 Like the preceding, only flowers 

 are a light porcelain blue and 

 bloom in September and October. 

 Where the season is long enough 

 to ripen the seed it is best 

 grown that way. It is the easiest 

 variety to grow from hard wood cut- 

 tings; these should be cut to single 

 • yes and planted in greenhouse bench 

 in January and February. In Marcn 

 or April they will be fairly rooted. 



