212 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Proper pruning of the hybrids is of importance, and should take 

 place in the months of February or March. The pruning of the 

 varieties belonging to the Calycinae, Anemoniflorae, Azurae, Floridae, 

 and Lanuginosae types should consist in removing the weak straggling 

 or overcrowded branches. These types flower from the old or ripened 

 wood, so the strong one-year-old wood should be trained in, as far 

 as it has become thoroughly ripened, beyond which it may be cut 

 away, the retained parts being disposed so as to fill up all vacant 

 spaces. 



The varieties of the Viticellae and Jackmanni sections, being 

 summer and autumn bloomers, flowering on the young or summer 

 shoots, the pruning should favour the development of vigorous 

 young shoots, and this is done by cutting them back each season to 

 within about a foot of the soil, leaving at least two pairs of axillary 

 buds on each shoot, though I recommend this operation being post- 

 poned till they have become thoroughly established. 



The varieties of the Viornae, Wokingensis, Aromaticae, Panicu- 

 latae, and Erectae sections should have the shoots cut off to where 

 they annually die down. 



I will now touch on the sudden " dying off," which has unfortu- 

 nately affected some of the Clematis. 



I have noticed from time to time expressions of opinion in the 

 Press from English and Continental writers, as to the probable 

 cause ; amongst them : 



1. Frost. 



2. Eelworms or fungi. 



3. The bursting of the cells through excessive moisture. 



4. Too rich food. 



5. Grafting. 



Dealing with these in their order : — 1. There is no doubt that 

 severe late spring frosts do damage the shoots, and cause them to die 

 off, but that is not the case every season. 2. Eelworms have been 

 found to affect the roots, but it is rather the exception than the rule 

 to find them. In these cases the plant would be affected from the 

 root upwards. 3. I have noticed the bursting of the bark of the 

 Clematis due to increased vigour of the shoots after it has ripened and 

 become set, and dying back has sometimes supervened as far as the 

 injury. Excessive moisture and bad drainage are also fatal. This 

 again is not the main reason of their dying, as I notice they mostly 

 go off during the summer months, when the reverse conditions 

 exist, and in situations where the drainage is perfect. 4. An excessive 

 amount of some foods is no doubt harmful, but I do not remember any 

 case of " dying off " coming under my notice where the cause could 

 be brought home to overfeeding. 5. Grafting cannot be the cause, 

 as my experience is that within a few weeks after the plant has been 

 re-potted it commences to form " own roots," as already mentioned, 

 and is then mainly supported by them and not by the roots of the 

 stock. I have also seen seedlings and plants raised from cuttings go 



