Oeto'oer M, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



320 



tivated in gardens were ill adapted to figure in the gorgeous 

 style of modern flower gardening. The modest yet fragrant 

 Flammula, the vigorous, rambling, and profuse-blooming 

 montana, the slender and pretty florida, the equally pretty 

 Vitieella were for many years the most common representatives 

 of the genus ; but for covering a trellis or screening a wall 

 their cultivation was limited in extent. Since the introduction 

 of those gorgeous forms like patens, Fortuni, Standishii, and 

 lanuginosa the Clematis has developed almost into what is com- 

 monly called "a florists' flower." We believe the Messrs. Hen- 

 derson, of Pine Apple Place, were the first who raised a hybrid 

 that attracted any notice among plant-growers, and several 

 noted cultivators both in this country and the Continent were 

 successful in producing hybrids or cross-bred forms, which were, 

 for ornamentation, an advance upon the old species. But it 

 was reserved to Messrs. Jackman & Son, of Woking, to startle 

 the world with such a stride as had not previously been at- 



tempted or anticipated. In 1862 C. Jackmanni and rubro- 

 violacea bloomed for the first time, and then came in rapid 

 succession a host of new and varied kinds. The hybridising 

 was eagerly and successfully followed by Messrs. Cripps & Son, 

 of Tunbridge Wells, and Mr. Noble, of Sunningdale, and by the 

 united efforts of these gentlemen, and others whose labours in 

 this field have been crowned with more or less success, the 

 Clematis has risen in importance as a garden decorative plant. 

 The authors of the work before us have produced a treatise 

 at once of great value and exhaustive. There is no species or 

 variety, a description and qualitative analysis of which has 

 not been given. Botanically and hortieulturally everything 

 that can be said or thought of has been said respecting the 

 numerous varieties of which the work treats ; and chapters 

 are devoted to then culture, which by the mere lover of garden 

 flowers will be read with pleasure and with profit. Let us 

 take as an example of the latter the following ; — • 



Clematis Jackmanni as a Permanent Betiding Plant. 



" The employment of the Clematis as a bedding plant was 

 first brought about in a kind of accidental way. It happened 

 that some of the plants, in the plantation of hybridised seedlings 

 from which C. Jackmanni and others were selected, were blown 

 down during the early part of the summer, and the poles were 

 not renewed. As the summer and autumn passed on, it was 

 noticed that these plants spread out their branches over the sur- 

 face of the ground, and flowered as profusely there as when 

 elevated in the usual way. It was thence inferred, that if 

 pegged down like Verbenas the varieties of Clematis would 

 make good bedding plants, while they would have this advantage 

 over ordinary bedding stock, that they would be permanent, 

 flowering year after year, and that with increased vigour as they 

 became more thoroughly established at the root. Experience 

 proved that this inference was correct, and for some years the 

 beds of Clematis Jackmanni and other hybrid varieties, to be 

 seen at the Woking Nursery, have been objects of great beauty. 

 The conditions were, perhaps, not the most promising, for 

 the soil at Woking is of a light sandy character, and one which 

 it might be supposed would not afford the plants sufficient 

 nourishment, at least as permanent bedders ; but the result has 

 proved in every way most encouraging, the beds showing a 

 mass of the richest blossom from July onward, till damaged 

 by frosts. 



" These beds were prepared during the winter months by deep 

 trenching : a liberal dressing of good rotten dung, and a lighter 

 one of calcareous earth, being thoroughly incorporated with the 



I soil. About the end of March the Clematises were planted out } 

 each being headed-down to within some six or eight good buds 



i or about 6 inches of the base, in order to start the lower buds. 

 As they grew, and before they became entangled, the young 

 branches were pegged down over the surface, and at the natural 

 season — July, they came freely into flower, and were the adraira- 

 tion of all who saw them. As in the case of plants grown in 

 other ways, a later crop of flowers may be had by late pruning— 

 that is, if the plants are pruned late, the profuse head of bloom 

 will come in later, but in all instances when once they come 

 into bloom, the flowering goes on in succession for an incredible 

 period, all that is wanted being some inducement to continue 

 forming new growth, such as a supply of water if the weather is 

 dry, or of liquid manure if the soil is exhausted. Let but 

 growth be obtained, and flowers are certain to follow. This 

 hint may be the more necessary, as when growers become more 

 familiarised with the plants, the extraordinary 'prof useness of 

 flowers may lead to the neglect of the aids which the plants 

 really require, and which they so thoroughly repay. 



" We recommend that w r hen employed as a bedding plant, the 

 Clematis should be permanently planted out, so that the roots 

 may not be disturbed. The soil should be rich, open, and deep, 

 of a calcareous loamy character if possible. If it be of a heavy 

 texture it must be well drained and ameliorated by admixture of 

 gritty matter, such as road scrapings, the sand washed up by the 

 road side, burnt clay, or even ashes, in moderate quantities ; 

 an admixture of half-rotten leaf mould would also be bene- 



