13^ The Canadian Horticui/iurist. 



others. " Miss Baternan " has the largest and finest flowers of any clematis 1 

 have seen, perfectly flat, of the purest white, with chocolate anthers, but being 

 of the " Patens " type, is not as floriferous as others. " Henryi " is another 

 excellent white, a good grower. "The Duchess of Edinburgh" is, with me, a 

 rampant grower, but being of the " Florida " type is not a free bloomer ; flowers 

 white and double, frequently the tips of the outer row of petals are green, it is 

 said to be fragrant but I have not discovered any perfume. The new Japanese 

 clematis, " Paniculata," which has been all the rage in the United States for the 

 past three or four years, is a splendid acquisition, hardy as an oak, rapid grower, 

 foliage clear shiny green, commences blooming very young, and in September 

 is one sheet of small white fragrant flowers on long sprays, fine for cutting. Of 

 the shrubby, herbaceous kinds, I grow " Davidiana," or " David's Clematis," and 

 there are few more satisfactory shrubs, but not at all like the climbing varieties, 

 dying down in winter. The stems grow every year from two to three feet high, 

 the flowers are blue, exactly like a single blue hyacinth, with precisely similar 

 perfume, the flowers are in whorls on long stems, and are fine for the centre of 

 a vase of cut flowers. What is known as the clematis disease, originally brought 

 from Belgium, is sometimes found here, and is causing a great deal of trouble in 

 the'United States, some nurserymen being unable to sell plants, especially " Jack- 

 manni," on this account. It is of a fungous character, commencing at the 

 junction of stem and root. With me it has only appeared the first year of plant- 

 ing out ; a plant may be growing strongly, perhaps commencing to bloom, when 

 it dies off" suddenly ; if there are two stems, one may die and not the other, but 

 mine have all started again the following spring and remained healthy. So far 

 no complete remedy has been found, although sulphate of copper (blue vitriol) 

 and other fungicides have been tried. A correspondent of " Gardening " two 

 years ago recommended as a preventive, one-fourth sulphur, one-fourth soot and 

 one-half tobacco dust, but this has not in all cases proved a complete preventive ; 

 still this is cheap and worth a trial till something better is found. I used it last 

 year and noticed an improvement in the health and vigor of the plants, and 

 mean to continue it, and I think it would be well to use it around the roots of 

 all young plants. 



And now in conclusion, let me urge all who can to plant at least one of 

 these beautiful vines. If you have a porch over your door, a piece of blank wall 

 on your house, an unsightly structure to hide, plant some clematis. Galvanized 

 wire netting is cheap and makes a good trellis. If you have a fence to cover 

 and don't want to wait for an evergreen hedge to grow, plant the new Japanese 

 clematis " Paniculata " say six feet apart, and the second and each succeeding 

 year in September, you will have a hedge of snow-white fragrant blossoms, in 

 reality a thing of beauty and a source of delight. There is no home but will be 

 made brighter, more beautiful and home-like by the addition of some of the 

 many kinds of these lovely plants. 



James Lockie. 

 Waier/oo. 



