VINES, HARDY AND TENDER. 99 



Germination is very irregular with seed sown in some soils. The best 

 medium I have found is rough grained sand that does not pack. Cover 

 to the depth of half an inch. 



A. tenuissimus is of a lighter green than A. plumosus and A. p. 

 nanus. If cuttings of the ripe branches are put in bottom heat they will 

 root freely. In small pots the plants are very ornamental and useful for 

 associating with ferns and other plants in filling pans. This Asparagus 

 used to be trained on strings, but has been superseded for this purpose 

 by A. p. nanus. 



B1GNONIA VENUSTA is one of the most reliable of our warm green- 

 house climbers. It should be planted out in a box built of bricks, such 

 box being large enough to hold several bushels of soil. The ideal way 

 to train is to a single main stem along the rafters of the greenhouse. 

 From this stem the growths on which the flowers appear are allowed 

 to hang downward to their full length. By judicious trimming of these 

 growths, and short resting periods before starting into growth, two 

 crops of bloom may be had each year. The flowers are reddish orange 

 in color, and are produced in great profusion. Propagation is by cut- 

 tings of the ripe growths in March. The plant will bear full sunshine 

 all the year round. 



BOUQAINVILLEA SPECTABILIS and B. LATERITIA which is said 

 to be a variety of the former, are sometimes shy in blooming; but the 

 cause will be found in unsuitable root conditions. Planted in well 

 drained soil and fed with liquid manure while making the flowering 

 wood, they are equally as attractive as the better known B. glabra. 

 Like the Bignonias they should be trained to long single stems, and 

 flowered from lateral growths, pruning these severely before starting 

 into growth. Propagated freely from cuttings of the ripe wood. 



BOUSSINGAULTIA BASELLOIDES (Madeira Vine) In well drained 

 sunny situations, such as may be found at the south side of a wall, this 

 plant frequently stands out all the year round in Washington, D. C. It 

 is a favorite vine with a great many people. It is very readily increased 

 by taking the little tubercles which form on the vine and sowing them 

 in rows in the open, without supports. The tubers, which form under- 

 ground, may also be taken, cut up into small pieces and treated in the 

 same way. After the vines are blackened by frost, dig up and store with 

 Dahlia roots. 



BRYONIA LACINIOSA A slender cut-leaved vine, with rather hand- 

 some red fruit the size of a cherry, beautifully marked with white. 

 Raised from seeds, which may be sown out-of-doors end of April. 



CHILDSIA (Hidalgoa) WERCKLE1 A native of the mountain regions 

 of Costa Rica and only recently introduced, so that but little is known 

 of its cultural requirements. It is a vine of soft growth with compound 

 leaves. The flowers are not unlike those of a single Zinnia; the color is 

 intense scarlet. Like other greenhouse vines of this family (Composite) 

 such as the Mutisias, the weak growths will not produce flowers, conse- 

 quently the plants should be encouraged to make robust growth, espe- 



