CLEMATIS. 



112 



CLIMBING PLANTS. 



Clem'atis (/ ord. Ranuncula'ceae). 



The generic name of some beautiful de- 

 ciduous climbing plants which have been 

 brought to the highest perfection by the cul- 

 tivator's skill. The best known but most 

 ordinary type of the clematis is Clematis 

 vitalba, a hedge plant indigenous to Britain, 

 also called Virgin's Bower, and Traveller's 

 Joy, on which the rarer and more delicate 

 hybrid varieties are frequently grafted. 

 They are otherwise propagated by cuttings 

 taken from side-shoots and placed under a 

 handlight in summer, or by division of the 

 roots. Among the best of the hybrid 

 varieties may be named C.Jackmanni with 

 large purple blossoms. C.Jackmanni alba 

 with equally large white flowers. Beauty 

 of Worcester is also remarkable for the size 

 and excellence of its flowers. 



Gardeners, amateur and professional, are 

 requested to note that the name of this 

 flower is pronounced clem'atis and not 

 cle-ma'-tis as most people generally miscall 

 it. 



Clian'thllS (not. ord. Legumino'sse). 



A genus of magnificent free -flowering 

 shrubs, which includes Parrot's Bill and 

 Glory Pea of New Zealand, with elegant 

 foliage and brilliantly coloured and singu- 

 larly shaped flowers, which are produced in 

 splendid clusters. Clianthus carneus and C. 

 puniteus Parrot's Bill blossom freely out 

 of doors in summer, against a trellis or 

 south wall ; C. Dampieri Dampier's or 

 Glory Pea succeeds best planted in the 

 border of a greenhouse, and is one of the 

 finest plants of recent introduction ; seeds 

 sown early in spring flower the first year ; 

 succeeding best in san/iy peat and loam in 

 a hot position. They may also be raised 

 Cosily by cuttings. They attain a height of 

 abou four feet, and with the exception of 

 C. carneus^ which bears a flesh-coloured 

 blossom, they have brilliant scarlet flowers 



with a dark blotch at the base of the upper 

 and erect petals. 



Climbing and Trailing Plants, 

 Culture of. 



In selecting climbers and trailers, it is 

 better to plant a considerable number of 

 any one plant that thrives well in the 

 locality, than to grow, merely for the sake 

 of variety, those that do not thrive anywhere 

 and everywhere, as experience has fully 

 shown. Healthy growth of plants, after 

 all, constitutes the chief charm in garden- 

 ing, and, provided that this be secured, 

 a place furnished with twenty species may 

 be more interesting and beautiful than 

 another that is planted with a thousand. 



With reference to the culture of climbers 

 and trailers, the Ampelopis will grow and 

 thrive in any soil and in any situation, and 

 is propagated by layers and cuttings. The 

 Aristolochia does best in sandy loam, and 

 is propagated by division of the roots, or 

 by layers put down in spring and autumn. 

 The Begonia likes moderately rich soil in 

 a warm or sheltered situation, and is pro- 

 pagated by cutting of its roots, or shoots, 

 under a hand-glass in spring or autumn. 

 Light loam, or loam mixed with a little 

 peat, suits the hardy forms of Clematis. 

 They are propagated by cuttings of firm 

 side shoots placed under a handlight in 

 summer, or by layers in September. The 

 varieties due to cultivation and hybridisa- 

 tion are usually multiplied by grafting on 

 the common Clematis (Clematis vitalba}. 

 The Ivies like deep rich soil, but the soil 

 for the tenderer varieties should be fairly 

 light. They may be propagated by layers, 

 or by slips, inserted in a north border in 

 the autumn in sandy soil, which should be 

 kept moist. Good common soil is suffici- 

 ent for the Jasmines, or Jessamines, which 

 are propagated by means of layers, suckers, 

 or cuttings placed under a handlight. The 

 Loniceras or honeysuckles are best propa- 



