132 The Flower Garden [Chaptei 



The Centrosema is of slender growth, and seldom 

 exceeds eight or ten feet. Plants should be set a foot 

 apart in front of a wire trellis or other support. They 

 are hardy, but should be given protection in winter. 



Gourds are a very useful family. They are an 

 ornamental feature of the summer garden, and afford 

 an economic and unique addition to the winter's sup- 

 ply of plant receptacles, hanging-baskets, low bowls 

 for Tulips, Crocus, and other bulbs. Many of them 

 are highly ornamental and graceful climbers as the 

 Wild Cucumber, Bryonopsis, Coccinea Indica, and 

 Abobra, which have delicate foliage and showy fruit, 

 and may be grown where any quick-growing vine is 

 wanted. They are especially good for covering rear 

 fences or unsightly outbuildings. 



Some of the varieties have large white flowers 

 which are finer than a Clematis, and of the fruit of 

 large-flowered ones the prettiest hanging-baskets are 

 made. Saw them in two when thoroughly ripe and 

 dry, remove the pulp, scrape the shell clean and thin 

 and give a coat of green or brown shellac inside and 

 out, and hang with brass chains. They are more 

 satisfactory if the gourds are a year old and perfectly 

 dry. A hole must be made for drainage, and in case 

 of bowls, tiny supports fastened to the bottom with 

 glue to raise them from the table, as without the free 

 circulation of air they are liable to mould. 



Seed must be sown as early as possible that the 

 fruit may have time to ripen before frost. Set out 



