VINES AND CREEPERS. 21 



( )n account of our severe winters, it cannot be recommended for general 

 cultivation in this latitude, except on the north and east sides of buildings, 

 and then it will require a little protection. Its special value for us is for 

 culture indoors. 



Periploca Grseca, or Virginia Silk Vine, is a vigorous twining vine, 

 with large glossy foliage and small velvety brown axillary clusters of flowers. 

 It grows rapidly, and may be used with fine effect to cover trees. As the 

 odor of the flowers is not agreeable, it should never be planted near the 

 house. 



Menispermum Canadense (Moonseed) A very pretty climber, of slen- 

 der growth and producing small yellow flowers. Used in connection with 

 the Arbor Vitae, as previously suggested, it becomes very valuable for deco- 

 rative purposes. 



Clematis Within the last ten years the hardy Clematis has been won- 

 derfully improved, and the newer sorts now in cultivation are justly re- 

 garded as the most beautiful and striking ornaments known for garden dec- 

 oration. Contrary to the general impression, the severest winters do not 

 injure them, when slightly protected with straw or leaves. In order to in- 

 duce a long succession of bloom, liberal culture is absolutely necessary, and 

 a deep, well-drained soil consisting, of loam, rotten manure, and leaf-mould 

 is the most suitable to plant them in. Duiing the warm, dry weather in 

 summer, liquid manure may be given them advantageously, and every year 

 the surface of the ground around them should be mulched with manure, to 

 keep up their strength. The Clematis is a gross feeder and must be fed 

 well to flower freely. 



It may be used in many ways, either trained on verandas, walls, or trel- 

 li>-work, or planted in rockwork and root cries ; or they make superb single 

 specimens on the lawn, trained to some ornamental support. They may 

 also be employed as permanent bedding plants, and pegged down, like the 

 verbena, or with a wire support of neat design, raised about a foot from the 

 ground, to run on, very pretty beds may be formed. On trees and arbors 

 their showy and handsome flowers are very effective. Some of the choicest 

 varieties are as follows : 



Jackmannii, violet purple, is the best, all things considered ; Miss Bate- 

 man, pure white and somewhat fragrant ; Lady Londesboroilgh, of a sil- 

 very-gray color, with a paler bar on each sepal. 



Velutina purpurea, blackish mulberry purple, the deepest colored 

 of all the varieties of this type. Viticella venosa, reddish pur- 

 ple, veined with crimson. Lady Stratford de Redcliffe, a new vari- 

 ety, of a delicate mauve color and the anthers chocolate red. Otto 

 Froebel, one of the largest and finest varieties yet obtained ; flowers grayish 

 white or French white, and of a thick, fleshy texture. 



Marie Lefebvre Pale, silvery mauve, with a deep mauve-colored bar. 

 This list would be incomplete were we to omit that old favorite, which I re- 

 gret to say is too rarely met with, the European Sweet Clematis (flam- 

 mula), which has always been so highly esteemed for the fragrance of its 

 blossoms. It flowers freely in the summer and autumn months and does 

 well on pillars, trellises, etc. The American White Clematis (Virginiana) 

 is also an admirable climber. It produces a great profusion of flowers in 

 August, followed by very conspicuous seed-plumes. 



