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The Horticulturist and Journal 



succeed here, and the Diana has to be plucked 

 off, so as to leave but one bunch to a shoot, 

 to ripen well, it seems as if vines like those 

 described above, with such excellent flavor 

 and vigorous characteristics, must be destined 

 to a celebrity of more enduring character than 

 the average of new American varieties. From 

 our own personal examination, we can honestly 

 state, not one of all the white sorts exhibits a 

 flavor as inferior as the Martha, and are uni- 

 formly larger in berry and bunch. Neither 

 was any white variety loss pleasant than the 

 Croton in flavor, and but one possessed a slight 

 musky perfume of the black grape ; neither 

 was inferior to Concord, although many not as 

 sweet ; while even if no other sorts were 

 deemed valuable as table grapes, the acquisi- 

 tion alone of Rarilau and Advance as wine 

 grapes, would mark an era in the grape history 

 of the United States. 



It is necessary to express all opinions with 

 caution, for the history of horticulture in the 

 United States has too many records of death- 

 blows to enthusiasm over new fruits which fail 

 when transferred to localities beyond the place 

 of origin ; yet, every active horticulturist will 

 rejoice with pleasure at such signal advance 

 in so new and promising addition to the pomo- 

 logical treasures of the country. Mr. Ricketts' 

 collection is a valuable one financially — 

 $10,000 would be a fair estimate of its worth, 

 and we trust they will soon be disseminated 

 and he will receive their full value. 



Conservator!/ Climbers. — Beaumontia 

 grandijlora^ one of the most magnificent 

 climbing plants in cultivation. It is a native 

 of the East Indies, and is frequently treated 

 as a stove plant. Indeed, I have had it my- 

 self in a stove for years, but never succeeded 

 in flowering it there, though I tried all I knew. 

 On this account I turned it out in a conserva- 

 tory border, giving it abundance of drainage, 

 and a soil composed of rich turfy loam and 

 fibrous peat in equal parts, with a liberal ad- 

 dition of charcoal and silver sand. The lead- 

 ing shoots were not stopped till they had filled 

 their allotted space, but the side shoots were 



kept pruned to one eye from the old wood, 

 thus inducing the formation of spurs. Under 

 this treatment it never failed to produce an 

 exuberance of its lovely white trumpet-shaped 

 blossoms. 



The genus Ke7i?iedya contains several very 

 beautiful climbing plants, of which K. Marry- 

 atta and K. Macrophylla, are two of the best. 

 It is scarcely necessary for me to refer to their 

 management, as they will grow and flower un- 

 der almost any circumstances, at least such 

 has been my experience of them. I have 

 grown them in peat and sand, in loam and 

 sand, and in a mixture of all three, and they 

 did equally well in each case. HardeJibergia 

 Compioiiiana, which is closely allied to the 

 genus Kennedya, is another very handsome 

 climber, and well worthy of cultivation. 

 Zichya coccinea^ another near ally of Ke7i- 

 nedya, is also deserving of attention. 



Ipomcua Learii — This is a most charming 

 plant, and no conservatory or greenhouse 

 where climbers are grown should be without 

 it. It is a most rapid growing plant, covering 

 an immense surface, and ramifying into an 

 astonishing number of strong, healthy branches. 

 Where this plant is trained to the roof of a 

 house for shade, and where it is merely fasten- 

 ed beneath the rafters in a general way, it 

 should always be supported by wires running 

 parallel to the direction in which it grows, and 

 by tying or nailing it up according to the 

 usual practice. Its twining habit renders it 

 desirable that it should have something round 

 which the branches can coil, and stout wire or 

 slender rods afford this desideratum. When 

 the blossoms commence expanding, they re- 

 quire to be screened from the more powerful 

 rays of the sun. Opening in the morning, 

 they change color and fade long before mid- 

 day if exposed to the solar rays, but when 

 they are brought below the foliage, the latter 

 is commonly sufiicieut to protect them. It 

 succeeds well in a soil composed of equal parts 

 rich turfy loam and leaf-mould, and requires 

 a good share of root room. /. mutahlis and 

 /. pulchella are also two desirable species, re- 

 quiring somewhat similar treatment. — Gar- 

 dener. 



