CHAPTER II 



SOIL, PLANTING, AFTER-MANAGEMENT AND PROPAGATION 



Errors in Planting— Preparing Station — Soil — Manures — Planting — 

 Feeding — Shade — Pruning and Training — Supports — Enemies and 

 Remedies — Under Glass — Propagation. 



It is much to be regretted that, as a rule, the require- 

 ments of climbing plants are but imperfectly considered 

 in gardens. 



They are often planted, with the most meagre pre- 

 paration, in poor soil, either composed largely of the 

 rubbish filled in after the building of the house, or 

 that which has been impoverished by other plants. In 

 either case it is hopeless to expect the free and 

 luxuriant growth which constitutes one of the beauties 

 of such plants. On the contrary, they are often 

 stunted and unhealthy in appearance from neglect in 

 these and other ways. Nothing is more common than 

 to see them turned out of small pots into a hole little 

 larger than the pots they have occupied, and without 

 any preparation having been made for the extension 

 necessary for the roots if the climber is ever to become 

 healthy, vigorous and beautiful. Even where a little 

 attempt is made to secure this it is often absurdly in- 

 adequate, and the roots are checked by the mass of 

 hard, poor soil with which they eventually come in 

 contact. It is better to make too much preparation 

 than too little, and when planting climbers in the open 

 to make a large and deep hole from three to six feet 

 across and about three feet deep, filling it up with good 



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