CLIMBING PLANTS AND CREEPERS 105 



carefully trained and pruned. Other ornamental vines that are 

 valuable for their rich autumn tints are V. califomica, V. Labrusca, 

 V. Romaneti and V. vinifera purpurea. 



The climbing plants mentioned in the foregoing pages form but 

 a tithe of the many kinds that are at the service of the gardener, 

 but it may at least be said that if the beginner experiments with 

 but a few of those I have enumerated he will have no cause to 

 regret either the expenditure of time or of money which their 

 introduction into his small domain will involve. 



It only remains to add a few general cultural directions to bring 

 this already long chapter to a close. Climbing plants will grow 

 well in any ordinary garden soil of which good sound loam and 

 well-decayed manure form the basis. They may be planted at 

 any season of the year (save in periods of severe frost) provided 

 they are obtained in pots. The roots should be carefully ex- 

 tracted from the pots, and be spread out, so far as this operation 

 can be carried out without removing all the soil from the ball. 

 Roots that are in any way injured should be cut off with a sharp 

 knife. After planting, make the roots firm by treading the soil 

 down fairly hard, and afterwards give water copiously until the 

 plants are well established. Care must also be taken, in the case 

 of those cumbers that require help in their earliest stages, to see 

 that they are fixed securely to their supports, and that training 

 and tying are subsequently attended to as the plants spread 

 upwards and outwards. 



