PLANTS FOR SPECIAL 

 PURPOSES 



MATEUR gardeners are 

 always wanting plants for 

 some special purpose, and, 

 for their benefit, I propose 

 to devote this chapter to 

 " special-purpose " inforpia- 

 tion. 



" What shall we grow to shade doors and win- 

 dows? We want something that will grow rap- 

 idly. If a flowering vine, all the better, but shade 

 is the all-important consideration." 



The best large-growing vine for this purpose, 

 all things considered, is the Wild Cucumber. 

 No other annual vine exceeds it in rapidity of 

 growth. It will grow twenty o^ twen-y-five feet 

 in a season, if given something to support it to 

 that height, therefore it is very useful about the 

 second-story windows, which height few of our 

 annual vines attain. It has very bright-green, 

 pretty foliage, somewhat resembling that of the 

 native Grape, though not so large. About mid- 

 summer it comes into bloom. Its flowers are 



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