May 5, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
349 
5th 
Th 
Royal Society at 4.30 P.M., and Linnean Society at 8 r.M. 
6th 
V 
Royal Institution at 8 p.M. 
7th 
s 
8th 
SUN 
3rd Sunday after Easter. 
9th 
M 
Royal Geographical Society at 8.30 P.M. 
10th 
Tu 
Royal Horticultural Society—Fruit and Floral Committees at 
11th 
W 
Society of Arts at 8 P.M. [11 A.M. 
CLEMATISES IK POTS. 
HERE can be no doubt of the increasing demand 
for Clematises, and their usefulness and beauty 
for planting to cover old walls or ramble over 
ruins and fences, as when in bloom they are 
unrivalled. Their cultivation in pots as deco¬ 
rative plants appears to be somewhat neglected 
in private establishments ; yet few flowering plants 
are more effective indoors than these are when well 
grown, as with a good selection of varieties and 
judicious preparation of the plants for forcing, a supply 
can be maintained from February onwards for several months. 
Where flowering plants for decorative purposes are required in 
early spring, Clematises should find a place. For room deco¬ 
ration where plants in 8 or 10-inch pots can be employed they 
are very beautiful, and last nearly as long in light positions as 
if in the conservatory provided no gas is employed. 
Propagation is effected by grafting, which can be readily 
accomplished. They are worked upon roots, which operation 
is simple, and with but little experience a number can quickly 
be obtained. I was told a short time ago that some growers 
employ roots only from a particular variety, as the scions are 
more readily worked upon it than upon any other, and succeed 
much better in poorer soil. The roots from any variety may, 
however, be employed, and when potting large plants a strong 
root or two may be taken off each, or if good-sized plants are 
growing outside it is easy to obtain a number of roots. The 
old Clematis Flammula produces them freely. Each root 
must have a few fibres attached, and should be from 6 to 
9 inches in length. They can be grafted any time when the 
wood is young and a little firm, but not too hard. The roots 
can be kept for a long time if necessary by placing them 
amongst moist soil or cocoa-nut fibre. Wedge-grafting is the 
system principally adopted. The scion should have one pair of 
leaves, and the wood be cut with a sharp knife on each side 
like a wedge. Split the root down the centre, and place the 
scion in so that the outer bark of it and the root come in direct 
contact. Make the scion secure to the stock with matting 
or worsted and then pot in 2-inch pots, employing a light 
sandy soil. The roots should be covered rather deeply with the 
soil, afterwards placing them in a close frame or under hand¬ 
glasses where a temperature of 60° to 65° can be maintained. 
They must be well shaded during bright sun, and be slightly 
syringed at night : the lights can be lifted and placed down 
again in the morning. As soon as the scion has become 
united to the stock more air must be admitted, gradually 
hardening the plants and exposing them to more light. They 
can be placed in 4 and 5-inch pots according to the progress 
they have made, and when they have commenced rooting in 
the new soil they can be finally hardened and grown outside. 
By autumn some of the plants will be as large as those fre¬ 
quently obtained from nurserymen, but as a rule the plants in 
many nurseries are kept a second year. 
My object in describing the system of working Clematises 
is because amateurs who have a greenhouse delight in raising 
a plant or two by means of grafting or otherwise. There can 
be no doubt that they could with a little perseverance soon 
work a few Clematises, especially if they are in possession of a 
handlight or two, which could be placed inside their house and 
be kept close and shaded as directed. The propagation of 
Clematises does not appear to be so well understood by 
many gardeners, but in many private gardens there is not the 
time to devote to such work ; therefore, the only course left 
is to procure them ready worked. If the plants are in 5-inch 
pots when obtained, and are well rooted, they should be 
transferred to 7-inch pots. The pots should be well drained, 
the old drainage being removed and the roots disentangled. 
This operation will cause no injury, as they are strong-rooting 
plants. Potting is best done a short time before the plants 
are started into growth. A shift into a larger pot every year 
according to the progress they have made is sufficient until 
they are placed into 10 or 12-inch pots, which are large enough 
for decorative purposes. When in the last-named size annual 
potting is still recommended—that is, by removing a portion 
of the old exhausted soil, renewing the drainage, and again 
placing them in the same sized pot with fresh soil. The soil 
cannot be too rich ; good rich loam, a third of decayed manure, 
and coarse sand to render the whole porous will suit them well. 
While growing Clematises require liberal applications of water 
at the roots, and in no stage should the soil be allowed to 
become very dry. When the pots are full of roots stimulants 
can be liberally supplied. 
After potting, if the plants are placed in a temperature of 
45° to 50° they soon commence growing. The young plants 
should be supported with an upright stake, and if convenient be 
placed so that their growth can be trained under the roof of a 
plant house. If strings are taken from the centre support and 
secured to the roof of the house, and each young shoot trained 
to them, the growth will be more rapid, and ripen better than 
if trained round four or five stakes in the pots. When the 
wood is nearly mature the shoot can be tied to stakes and the 
plants placed outside, where they may be allowed to remain 
until the approach of frost, and then be protected in a cold 
frame or house. 
The earliest-blooming varieties of the Patens section—of 
which Lady Londesborough is the type, one of the freest, 
earliest, and best for forcing—will, if gently started at the 
commencement of the year, produce a few flowers in the 
spring. This season the plants should produce a number 
of growths and advance rapidly if these are again trained 
to strings as directed for the first season. At the close of the 
second season they can be trained upon small balloon-shaped 
trellises. This section furnishes the most varieties suitable for 
pot culture, especially for early flowering during February, 
March, and April. Most of the varieties flower profusely, and 
require no pruning, as the flowers are produced on the previous 
year’s wood. There is but little difficulty in inducing plants 
to flower early ; one or two seasons' early starting is sufficient. 
Our plants this season commenced growth in a cold frame 
No. 45.-Yon. I Thibd Series. 
No. 1701 .—Yol LXY., Old Series. 
