66 GARDEN AND FARM TOPICS. 



macroglossis,) a much better plant than the old kind. It 

 is a strong and rapid grower, with glossy leaves that so 

 much resemble those of the common Ivy as to be easily 

 mistaken for it. As free-growing plants of this kind are 

 troublesome to repot when trained, it is a good plan to 

 give them at the beginning a pot sufficiently large to last 

 during the winter, taking the precaution, in this case, to 

 give a sufficient quantity of drainage to prevent the soil 

 from becoming sour. These remarks will apply to all 

 plants of this kind. 



Another pretty climber for the room is the popular 

 Smilax, (Myrsiphyllum asparagoidesj) universally admired 

 for its graceful foliage and the sweetness of its tiny little 

 flowers. It should be repotted in August, or at least as 

 soon as the new growth appears. Shake off all the old 

 soil that will come away, (only do not expose the roots 

 too much,) and replace it with fresh, rich soil. 



Still another good climber for room culture is the 

 Japanese Climbing Fern, (Lygodium scandens.) The 

 peculiar beauty of this plant is not seen till it gets age, 

 and produces abundantly its lovely fertile fronds. A 

 cool room will suit it better than a hot one. 



For training on small wire frames, either flat or round, 

 few plants are more desirable than the Ivy-leaved Gera- 

 niums. There are varieties with single, and others with 

 double flowers, of various shades of color. The leaves 

 are of a glossy green, and closely resemble those of the 

 English Ivy. Except that they should be trained to a 

 stake or a frame, they are treated as other Geraniums. 



The foliage of all these climbers should be washed off 

 or syringed occasionally, not only to free them from 

 dust, but also from insects, especially the red spider. 

 There are other climbers that do well in rooms, but the 

 above are among the best and easiest grown. 



