THE CLEMATIS AS A CLIMBER 95 



we consider the period over which the Clematis in its 

 various forms supplies its flowers we are no less im- 

 pressed by its value. Summer brings with its early days 

 the pure white blooms of C. montana. The Lanuginosa, 

 Patens, Jackmanni, and other hybrids keep up the suc- 

 cession, while later, crispa and some others give their 

 blooms in the open, and indivisa yields its exquisite 

 white flowers under glass. All of these are beautiful, 

 and even our native C. Flammula and C. Vitalba are of 

 value where free growth is desired. Then the small- 

 flowered Viticella has become the parent of several 

 beautiful single and double flowers, which, by the way, 

 are less subject to the Clematis disease than other 

 sections of the race. Though smaller than those of the 

 universally cultivated C. Jackmanni, these make up by 

 their profusion of flowers what they are lacking in size. 

 Then by hybridising the lovely C. coccinea many beautiful 

 new plants are making their appearance which are sure 

 to be prized for their pretty flowers. 



It is to be regretted, however, that the Clematis has 

 a powerful obstacle to its introduction into many gardens 

 in the disease to which it is subject and which has already 

 been incidentally referred to in speaking of C. Viticella. 

 No exact and infallible cure has been found for this 

 disease and, despite all efforts, it has been found im- 

 possible to retain the Clematis in many gardens because 

 of its attacks. It is to be hoped, however, that a remedy 

 may be discovered, and we may trust, at least, that the 

 raising of new hybrids will give us flowers of equal 

 beauty with a better disease-resisting constitution. One 

 learns that in gardens where neither the large-flowered 

 nor the Jackmanni Clematises will thrive the non-climb- 

 ing C. davidiana grows perfectly well. 



It has, however, as mentioned elsewhere, been dis- 

 covered that the losses of some Clematises are due to 

 the action of the sun on the lower portions of the stems, 



