78 CliantJuts Dampicri. 



CLIANTHUS DAM PIER I. 



By George Such, South Amboy, N.J. 



Until lately, CUanthus Dampieri has been treated as a greenhouse-plant, 

 and has been found exceedingly difficult to grow. However, in last season's 

 catalogue of Vilmorin of Paris, it was announced, that, instead of being 

 almost impossible to cultivate, it was, on the contrary, a plant requiring 

 only the very smallest amount of attention, and capable of being grown in 

 the open air as readily as a French bean. 



Last spring I bought some seed, and followed strictly Vilmorin's direc- 

 tions ; planting about the middle of May in a dry, sunny position. I did 

 not water at all, although for weeks no rain fell ; and, except just enough 

 to keep the soil free from weeds, no cultivation was given about the roots, 

 which do not bear to be disturbed. 



The plants throve amazingly, and the first flowers opened towards the 

 end of August ; since which time, continual heads of bloom have been pro- 

 duced. One of the plants has been protected from the frost by a sheet 

 thrown over it at night ; and to-day (Oct. 25) several bunches of its dazzling 

 scarlet blossoms are hanging just as fresh as ever. Indeed, the foliage 

 of those clianthus plants left unprotected has not suffered in the least from 

 the frost ; although dahlias, cannas, heliotropes, &c., were blackened by the 

 cold a week or more ago. 



These few notes may prove interesting, as some doubts have been ex- 

 pressed as to whether the clianthus could be flowered in the latitude of 

 New York without having been started in the greenhouse. But no doubt 

 need be felt, as my plants grew vigorously from the start ; the leading shoot 

 on one of them being now fully four feet long, and the numerous laterals 

 not less than three feet. 



One thing must be remembered : Red spider is very fond of the clianthus: 

 therefore keep far removed all those old stagers who have been passing 

 their winter in the greenhouse, and whose company is not above suspicion. 



