20 THE BOOK OF CLIMBING PLANTS 



of raising any of the perennials which produce seeds in 

 this country, or of which fresh imported seeds can be 

 procured. Seeds of hardy climbers can be sown on a 

 prepared bed of fine soil from April to the beginning 

 of July in the open, and in pots, pans or boxes under 

 glass earlier in spring in slight heat. The seeds of the 

 more tender ones can be sown in a hot-bed or with 

 bottom heat from February onwards. The soil must 

 be rich and light, with a large proportion of leaf-mould 

 and sand. The depth to which the seeds are covered 

 depends upon their size, the smaller seeds being only 

 slightly covered with fine soil. 



Cuttings are also convenient means of propagating the 

 perennial climbing plants, and directions regarding the 

 greater number which can thus be increased appear in 

 other chapters. Some strike better from young shoots, 

 with or without a heel of the old wood, while others do 

 best from the half, or wholly ripened wood in autumn. 

 The cuttings of hardy climbers may be put into a cold 

 frame or struck under a handlight or glass in the open, 

 and shaded from sun until they have rooted. Most of 

 the tender ones do best struck in sand under a glass in 

 heat. Grafting on the stocks of the commoner species is 

 a common method of propagation with some varieties. 

 For many climbing plants layering is a most suitable 

 means of increasing the stock, their habit of growth 

 generally making it convenient to lay one of the stems 

 or branches along on the soil, pegging it down, and 

 covering the place with some light soil, kept moist until 

 roots are emitted, when the plant may be cut off from 

 the parent. They may also be layered in pots for greater 

 convenience in removing. Spring and autumn are the 

 best times for layering. Root division answers well 

 for the herbaceous climbers and a number of others, 

 while those which produce suckers are easily dealt with 

 by removing these from the parents in spring or autumn. 



