1 8 THE BOOK OF CLIMBING PLANTS 



Fir-tree Oil, or Gishurst Compound, applied precisely 

 as directed on the packages. This is essential, as many 

 plants are injured by not adhering to these directions. 



In most cases it is much better to purchase some of 

 these proprietary preparations than to make one which 

 might be improperly compounded or made from material 

 not fresh and thus ineffective. 



UNDER GLASS 



Where the structures are so arranged that the climbers 

 can be planted in a specially prepared bed, they are 

 generally more satisfactory and more healthy than in 

 pots. The bed should be thoroughly prepared, properly 

 drained and filled with a compost of good, mellow loam, 

 leaf soil and decayed manure, with some bone meal. In 

 this bed the climbers ought to be carefully planted in a 

 firm manner. 



It is not always possible to plant climbers out under 

 glass, and they may therefore be grown in large pots or 

 tubs, filled with such a compost as above described. 

 Since the soil will soon become exhausted from becoming 

 filled with roots, as much of the old soil as possible 

 should be removed without taking out the plant, and 

 replaced by fresh earth. Occasional waterings with 

 liquid manure or water in which an artificial fertiliser 

 has been dissolved, are necessary to maintain the plants 

 in health when the pots become filled with roots. 



The necessity of repotting may be retarded by fitting 

 a zinc ring on the top of the pot or tub, and filling this 

 up with fresh earth. This will delay what is frequently 

 a troublesome task when the climbers are trained to the 

 walls or roof. 



Wire trellises, or wires strained along the walls, roof 

 or rafters, are the best method of training climbers under 

 glass. The wires should be a few inches from the glass 



