106 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



At the top of the list we must, undoubtedly, place the Mande- 

 villa suaveolens, a Bolivian plant of comparatively recent importation, 

 with large white fragrant blossoms, similar in form to those of the 

 common periwinkle, Vinca major ; both plants belonging to the same 

 natural order, the Dogbanes. 



The llandevilla is generally treated as a tender plant, being some- 

 times grown in a warm greenhouse or conservatory, but not unfre- 

 quently in the stove. When cultivated in the border of a good 

 greenhouse, its blossoms are earlier and more copiously produced 

 than in the open air; but with the average temperature of our 

 summers, in good loam, enriched with rotten manure, and a warm 

 situation, it succeeds well out-of-doors in the summer months. A 

 good display of flowers cannot be expected unless the plant be two 

 or three seasons old ; and in order to insure its safe removal in the 

 autumn, the pot, which should be very large, may be plunged into 

 the border, the bottom being first broken out, to allow the roots to 

 extend themselves freely. Its branches grow to a considerable 

 length in a single season, but in autumn they may, if necessary, be 

 pruned back to within three or four feet of soil. It requires to be 

 kept from frost in winter, and may be propagated by seeds, or 

 cuttings of the root. On au arched trellis, this noble plant forms a 

 striking object when in flower. 



Fully equal to it, however, is the Tacsonia manicata, a plant . 

 allied to the passion-flowers, with blossoms of the richest scarlet, 

 which, in established specimens, are freely produced. Like the 

 Mandevilla, the Tacsonias are classed as greenhouse climbers ; but 

 old and well-ripened plants would probably bear our average 

 winters with a little protection, which, in the case of such splendid 

 plants, is well deserved. The Tacsonias require a peat soil, but will 

 scarcely need so much space for their roots as the Mandevilla, and 

 may have their pots plunged into the border, or turned out if the 

 pot is small. 



T. pinnatistipula and T. mollissima are commoner plants than the 

 T. manicata, but somewhat inferior in beauty ; they are, however, 

 well deserving of cultivation. The T. mollissima is the most prolific 

 of flowers. They are all increased by cuttings under a glass; the T. 

 pinnatistipula does better grafted upon the T. mollissima than upon 

 its own roots. 



Far less rare, but scarcely less worthy of attention, is the old 

 and popular Eccremocarpus scaler (the Calampelis scapho of modern 

 authors). This is too well known to need more than a passing 

 notice ; it may, however, be worth while remarking that it is so 

 hardy as to require but a covering of dry litter, fern leaves, or coal 

 ashes over its roots ; and plants raised from seed early in the spring 

 will flower the first season, though less freely than subsequently. 

 "We have seen specimens of this plant twenty feet high. 



Another interesting and favourite climber of rapid growth is the 

 Cobaia scandens, with pinnated leaves, terminated by a tendril and 

 large bell-shaped flowers, which are first green, and ultimately 

 change to purple. It may be raised from seed, which is not, how- 

 ever, often ripened in the open air, but may always be obtained 



