Climbing, Trailing and Twining Plants 105 



Section V. 



CHAPTER XV. 



CLIMBING PLANTS, TRAILING PLANTS, 

 TWINING PLANTS. 



IN the scheme of Horticulture the Climbing Plants should play 

 a very important part, and most of them, if trained properly, can 

 be made most effective. This section may be divided into three 

 groups, each group for a different purpose. 



GKOUP I. Climbing plants useful for covering bare house sides, 

 walls, and rockwork. These climb by means of tendrils or 

 suckers. In order of merit the list would include Ampelopsis 

 veitchii (Virginian Creeper) ; Ficus repens (a climbing fie, 

 with small leaves when young, but throwing large leathery 

 leaves later on the higher branches) ; and Ivies, which are 

 perhaps only suitable for shady situations in South Africa. 

 The first is always the most popular climber for covering 

 bare house sides quickly, and nothing is better. The only 

 precaution necessary is to keep it from the spouts and top 

 woodwork of the house, and this will mean an annual dress- 

 ing back to the right limit. If possible, it should be planted 

 near a drain sluit, where a little water will percolate through 

 to the roots all the year round. 



Both the Ivies and the Ficus repens are much better for 

 the walls of outbuildings, especially where these are built 

 roughly. Ivy has a tendency to penetrate into slight cracks 

 in walls, and the growth of the branches in thickness breaks 

 open such cracks further. This is quite sufficient reason for 

 keeping it away from the dwelling house. 



When planting, a good-sized hole, say two feet square, 

 should be dug, and after the soil is well pulverized the ad- 

 dition of a pound of bone dust to each hole will do good. 

 Where the soil is poor, or only building rubble, new soil of 

 the same quantity should be put in. 



GKOUP II. consists of those which are strong and rough growers, 

 most of which will make handsome shrubs as well as vigor- 

 ous climbers to cover old tree stumps, &c. These may be 



