Gardening for Amateurs 



775 



duces seeds from which plants can be readily 

 raised. It should be freely syringed, as if 

 too dry the leaves are liable to be attacked 

 by red spider. The secondary shoots should 

 be cut back in winter when dormant. 



Maurandya Barclayana. A quick- 

 growing climber, which if raised from seeds 

 early in the year will flower during summer. 

 The blossoms are somewhat like those of a 

 Foxglove and of beautiful purple colouring. 

 Though usually treated as an annual, it is 

 really of perennial duration. It needs no 

 pruning. 



Myrsiphyllum asparagoides. Under 

 the popular name of Smilax, the sprays of 

 this climber, furnished with their neat 

 shining green leaves, are in great demand 

 for table decoration and other similar pur- 

 poses. It is readily increased by seed or 

 division in spring, and thrives in ordinary 

 compost. There is a smaller-leaved form 

 known as myrtifolia. Entire sprays are 

 often cut, otherwise no pruning is needed. 



Passiflora. Several of the Passion 

 Flowers are desirable greenhouse climbers, 

 but they need a fair-sized structure for their 

 accommodation. The hardy P. caerulea and 

 its white variety Constance Elliott are very 

 effective under glass, while P. Allardii, P. 

 caerulea racemosa, P. Imperatrice Eugenie, 

 and P. Lawsonii are also good. Passifloras 

 are readily raised in spring, from cuttings 

 of the young shoots inserted in sandy soil 

 and placed in a closed propagating case 

 where there is slight warmth. If any large 

 plants need cutting back this should be done 

 in the autumn. Smaller specimens may be 

 pruned in spring. 



Plumbago capensis. The light porcelain 

 blue flowers of this Plumbago are always 

 admired, whether it be in the greenhouse or 

 out of doors during summer. It is a good 

 roof, pillar, or wall plant, and flowers freely. 

 In the winter the Plumbago goes partially to 

 rest, when, if in pots, it may be treated the 

 same as a Fuchsia. It can be struck from 

 cuttings in the same way, and will grow in 

 similar soil. There is a white-flowered 

 variety Plumbago capensis alba which 

 affords pleasing variety from the normal 

 type. Hard pruning is essential in spring. 



Solanum. The white-flowered Solanum 

 jasminoides, which is hardy in the west 



of England, is in all districts a delightful 

 greenhouse climber, the pure white Jas- 

 mine-like flowers being borne throughout 

 the summer and well on into autumn. 

 It can be increased by cuttings in spring, 

 and its cultural requirements are simple. A 

 second climbing sort S. Wendlandii is 

 fitted for the warmest end of the greenhouse, 

 and if possible should be well exposed to the 

 sunshine. The heads of large lilac-coloured 



A white-flowered fragrant climber, 

 Mandevilla suaveolens. 



flowers are from 1 foot to 18 inches across. 

 It blooms about midsummer. In winter the 

 roots need only just enough water to keep 

 the soil slightly moist. Pruning should be 

 done immediately after flowering. 



Swainsona galegifolia. This is a slender- 

 growing plant, that may be trained up the 

 rafter of a small or medium-sized greenhouse. 

 The pinnate leaves have a light and elegant 

 appearance, and the rosy pea-shaped flowers 

 are borne in great profusion throughout 

 summer. It is not vigorous enough to need 

 much pruning. Seeds sometimes ripen, and 



