M T^^ ^ard^i) ar)d Lafjoi). ^ 



• THE CLEMATIS. 



< 8iR,— I have never seen anything about the treatment of the different kinds of Clutnatis. 

 I have found by experience that they generally require cutting down in the autumn, but 

 lately I have read that a Henry or James Gould flowers on last year's growth For years 

 I have been wondering why mine did not flower. 



Gardener, Peterboro'. 



UR correspondent will be well answered by the following from the 

 " Gardeners' Chronicle " : — These beautiful hardy climbing plants, 

 of which there is such a large variety, are classified under the fol- 

 lowing types ; and, taking them in their order of blooming, the first 

 is the Montana type, and which are spring bloomers. The most 

 important are C. montana, which flowers in large clusters in the 

 month of May. Next comes the Patens type, consisting ©f very 

 bright, showy varieties, blooming principally during May and June, and of which 

 the following are a few of the best : Albert Victor, Miss Bateman, Miss Craw- 

 shay, Mrs. George Jackman, Mrs. Quilter and Standishii. 



These are succeeded by the double and single blooming varieties known as 

 the Florida type, which flower during June and July ; the best varieties are Belle 

 of Woking, Countess of Lovelace, Duchess of Edinburgh, Fortune!, John Gould, 

 Veitch and Lucie Lemoine. All the above-mentioned types flower on the 

 previous year's wood, if well ripened, so that only the weak, straggling, or over- 

 crowded branches should be pruned out, if a fine display of bloom is to be 

 obtained ; and this should be done as soon as the winter frosts are over. 



The Graveolens type are late summer bloomers, but little planted ; and 

 except to run over thickets, or over the stems and boughs of trees, the flowers 

 being small and poor in quality. Of these are C. vitalba, though this in the 

 autumn is very conspicuous, with its shaggy plumose fruits, from which it has 

 gained the name of Old Man's Beard. It is also commonly known as Traveler's 

 Joy, or White Vine. 



The Lanuginosa type are the next in succession, flowering from July to 

 October, and very effective the fine and large blooms of some varieties are. 

 Alba Magna, Blue Gem, Fairy Queen, Gem, Henryii, Lanuginosa, Candida, 

 Madame Van Houtte, Princess of Wales and Purpurea elegans, are amongst the 

 best. These varieties flower successionally on the short lateral summer shoots 

 and should therefore be pruned down to about three feet from the ground every 

 spring, to prevent them becoming long and bare of young shoots near the base, 

 the tendency of the plants being to develop new growth at the extremities. 



The Viticella and Jackmanni types flower at the same time in profuse con- 

 tinuous masses on the young summer shoots till the frost comes, making them 

 very attractive. Of the former type the following may be mentioned : Asco- 

 tiensis, Lady Bovill, Mrs. James Bateman, Viticella rubra grandiflora ; and of 

 the latter, Gipsy Queen, Jackmanni, Madame Grange, Rubella, Jackmanni 



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