November, 1907 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



XIX 



under side, they will last for years. Later, 

 as the plants approach a stage when they will 

 be soon transferred to the open ground, they 

 may be given complete exposure and screens 

 of chicken netting may be used in place of the 

 lath if necessary to protect the beds from 

 poultry, cats and other enemies. 



Tender plants should not be set out in the 

 open ground until all danger of frost is 

 passed, as there is nothing gained by plant- 

 ing before the weather is warm and the 

 ground in a condition to receive them. 



THE BIGNONIA RADICANS 



By Benjamin Ide 



EVERY year at the time of the blooming 

 of the Bignonia radicans or trumpet vine 

 I am impressed anew with its excep- 

 tional value as an all-around plant for general 

 purposes. It is a matter of the greatest sur- 

 prise to me to see this noble plant so neglected 

 and relegated to any out-of-the-way corner of 

 the yard when so much may be done with it 

 in, the way of decorative effect. The explana- 

 tion of this unfortunate state of affairs may 

 probably be found in the fact that we have al- 

 ways had it with us and that familiarity breeds 

 contempt. 



So we relegate it to some out-of-the-way 

 corner while we point with pride to some 

 sickly climber, the cultivation of which we 

 know nothing about and ask that its spindly 

 growth be admired ; it is a question whether 

 we admire it ourselves, but the catalogues call 

 it beautiful, and so great is the tendency to 

 adopt ready-made opinion that we hold our 

 own in abeyance and accept without question. 



As a vine the bignonia is fine when well 

 cared for and well supported ; it requires, how- 

 ever, the most careful fastening as well-de- 

 veloped specimens are very top-heavy, and a 

 storm is apt to tear them from their support 

 and do much damage. 



The bignonia is one of those plants which 

 make fleshy air roots at each joint which cling 

 to walls by suction ; where these have been 

 allowed to remain undisturbed the plant is 

 practically self-supporting, but the large, heavy 

 top which it forms when it has reached any 

 considerable height is composed of many 

 branches, which either form no roots at the 

 joint or the roots finding no point of attach- 

 ment wither and die, then a severe storm 

 catches the top, rendered heavier by rain, and 

 tears top and all from its support. No ordi- 

 nary means of support, as twine or light wire, 

 suffices to sustain it under such circumstances, 

 but a good weight of galvanized wire should 

 be used, passing the wire under and around a 

 joint and fastening the ends securely to the 

 wall with staples. 



But it is as an ornamental shrub and hedge 

 plant that I wish to discuss it. In the entire 

 range of ornamental shrubs suitable for the 

 lawn it would be difficult to find one with 

 more to recommend it in beauty, grace, hardi- 

 ness, with its great masses of flowers and dark, 

 rich foliage. Planted on the lawn and trained 

 against a stake four or five feet, or as tall as 

 it is desired to have the standard grow, it will 

 in a few years develop a stem that will be self- 

 supporting. 



When it has grown to the desired height it 

 must be topped or cut back and encouraged 

 to develop many side branches — -all side shoots 

 below the top being removed as they appear 

 and the whole strength of the plant directed 

 to the formation of a symmetrical, vigorous 

 top. In this way it will grow in the shape of 

 a Kilmarnock willow, and if the seed pods 

 are removed as they form it will be in bloom 

 the greater part of the summer — which can be 

 said of few other shrubs. 



In a few years, or by the time the support 

 has rotted away, it will have developed a trunk 

 heavy enough to support it ; one growing in 

 my own grounds has a trunk equal to a young 



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