THE GREAT FILOWEHED CL/EMATIS 



irvT^ I KNOW many amateurs have become so greatly discour- 

 I aged because of their repeated failures with certain va- 

 ^^^3 ij rieties of the large flowered climbing Clematis, that they 

 refuse to make any further effort to grow them. Please try just 

 once more. I will endeavor to be as clearly practical as possible 

 concerning the requirements and cultural needs of these vines 

 to which we should be so grateful for the pleasure they give us 

 when properly grown. 



The one reason, and I know it is the real one, for lack of suc- 

 cess in growing Clematis is that they are planted too deep and 

 where the drainage was not good. They just can't go on living 

 after too deep planting in poorly drained soil. In the culture of 

 the great-flowered Clematis, there is one point where deepness is 

 most important and that is in the digging of the holes, which 

 should be made as wide and as deep as we provide for four year 

 old climbing roses. Then good drainage should be provided by a 

 layer, several inches deep, of small stones, broken brick, etc. The 

 soil should be light and very rich — a loamy soil, well limed. The 

 proportion of air-slacked lime to be used is a garden shovelful to 



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