THE CLIMBERS furnish us with nature's drapery, and nothing produced by art can equal their 

 elegant grace. As the Lilies surpass in beauty all that wealth or power can procure, or man pro- 

 duce, so these tender Climbers surpass all the productions of the decorator's skill. They are 

 entirely under the control of the skillful gardener and tasteful amateur, and under their guiding 

 hands make the unsightly building or stump bloom with beauty. The strong growing varieties 

 can be made, in a short time, to cover fences, arbors and buildings, and give both grace and 

 shade. Those of more delicate growth are invaluable for pots, baskets, and other decorative 

 purposes. 



The Climbing Plants are nearly all well adapted for culture in vases, and are particularly 

 well fitted for baskets and the decoration of balconies, &c. No hanging basket can look well 

 unless furnished with graceful trailing plants, which not only have great beauty in themselves, 

 but throw a mantle of beauty, if not of charity, over everything unsightly about the basket or 

 its filling. Several Climbers will be found among the Perennials, but, of course, all the varieties 

 described in this Department flower the first season. Some of our annual Climbers are natives 

 of tropical countries, and while they do well in the garden, with a little care, are really better for 

 house culture and for baskets, verandahs, etc. 



GALAMPELIS, Nat. Ord. Bignoniacea. 



Calampelis scabra, or perhaps more properly Eccremocaqjus scaber is a very excellent 

 climber, with neat foliage, and bright orange flowers borne in racemes, and blooms profusely the 

 latter part of the season. The seeds are made to vegetate with 

 some difficulty, and should be grown in a hot-bed or green-house. 

 Good, strong plants should be grown before setting them in the 

 garden, and it is not best to trust the plants in the open ground in 

 a climate like most of the Middle and Northern States until the 

 first of June. The Calampelis, however, is well suited to house 

 culture, where it will always give good satisfaction and prove 

 valuable ; but being a native of Chili, will not endure the changes 

 and harshness of a Northern climate, even in the summer, except 

 under favorable circumstances. As, however, it is not common, 

 and very pretty, the Calampelis well pays for a little extra care on the part of the tasteful florist. 



CARDIOSPERMUM, Nat. Ord. Sapindacea:. 



Cardiospennum Halicacabum is a curious, half-hardy annual, from India, we believe, though 

 some of the species are found in almost all tropical countries. It 

 is called Ballooon Vine, and Love in a Puff, on account of the 

 inflated seed-capsule seen in the engraving. In some countries 

 the leaves are cooked and eaten, and in others the plant is supposed 

 to contain very great medicinal properties. With us it is only val- 

 uable as a good summer climber, and really more curious than 

 beautiful. Sow seed under glass, and if planted in the garden, find 

 it a sheltered situation. Like many southern climbers, it needs 

 favoring in the garden, but gives a good account of itself in the house. 



90 



