104 SATURDAY IN MY GARDEN 



Two valuable winter flowering varieties are L. fragrantissiina and 

 L. Standishi. The honeysuckle likes warm quarters and plenty 

 of sunshine, but it is apt at times to become infested with aphides 

 or green-fly. These, however, can be kept in check by a few 

 applications of a wash made of soft soap and nicotine or quassia 

 extract. 



Among all the many garden treasures that have come to us 

 from China and Japan the wistaria takes a foremost place. Its 

 beauty is undeniable, and it is rapidly becoming a favourite even 

 in the small garden plot. But the would-be cultivator of the 

 wistaria will need to exercise patience ; he will have to wait before 

 it will attain its full development, since it does not establish itself 

 quickly. The most suitable use to which it can be devoted is as a 

 covering for arbours, arches, verandahs and house fronts, where 

 its magnificent racemes of blossom can hang in pendulous beauty 

 in full view of the beholder. The most common variety is the 

 Chinese, W. chinensis ; but the finest wistaria yet introduced into 

 this country is W. multijuga of Japanese fame. It bears clusters 

 which sometimes attain a length of four feet, while a simple cluster 

 will carry almost a hundred and fifty blossoms. The best soil 

 for the wistaria is a rich, fairly light loam, to which may be added 

 a moderate quantity of decayed farmyard manure. Pruning is 

 necessary to produce a good effect. The largest flowers grow on 

 short spurs coming from the base of the shoots. These should 

 be cut well back after flowering towards the end of summer. 



The Virginia creeper is deservedly popular among the de- 

 ciduous climbers which depend upon the beauty of their foliage 

 for the high regard in which they are held. Ampelopsis Veitchi, 

 or, to give it its newer designation, vitis inconstans, since it belongs 

 properly to the great family of the vines, is the self-clinging small- 

 leaved variety which when once it is planted and obtains a good 

 start requires little further attention. It soon covers a wide 

 expanse of wall or fence with a beautiful mantle of green, which 

 in the autumn turns to a gorgeous crimson. Ampelopsis or 

 vitis quinquefolia is the older and commoner variety, which 

 though distinctly useful is prone to become untidy unless it be 



