434 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
now in cultivation are comparatively few. Passing the well- 
known British C. vitalba, the feathery fruits of which are so 
attractive in country hedgerows, and taking the species in the 
order of their introduction to this counriy, the first requiring 
notice is C. viticella, a native of Italian and Spanish woods, 
and other portions of South Europe. This is the oldest of the 
introduced forms, having been, so states the “ Hortus Kew- 
ensis," brought to England by a Mr. Hugh Morgan in 15G9, 
and it was mentioned by Gerarde and some other old writers. 
It is a moderately strong climber, attaining the height of 
10 feet or more, with divided leaves and large drooping pur¬ 
plish-blue flowers, that vary to a pinkish tint in some forms. 
At the commencement of the present century, according to 
Martyn's edition of Miller’s “ Gardeners’ Dictionary,” four 
varieties were known—namely, “ single blue, single red, single 
purple, and double purple but since then the forms have 
been largely increased, and for some time they were amongst 
the best grown. The chief interest attached to this species, 
however, is owing to its having probably been one of the 
parents of the hybrid C. Hendersoni, raised at the Pine Apple 
nursery about 1835, which was long regarded as the most suc¬ 
cessful attempt to improve the Clematis. Now C. viticella is 
considered the type of a number of floriferous summer and 
autumn-flowering varieties. 
The next in chronological order is C. Flammula, a great 
favourite in many gardens, especially for such semi-wild posi¬ 
tions as those already mentioned, where there is a rootery. It 
is a European plant, and was cultivated by Gerarde in 1597, 
so that it probably followed C. viticella very closely. It is of 
free growth, and produces its small white flowers in large 
clusteis most abundantly, having a fine effect in suitable posi¬ 
tions, a further attraction being the pleasing fragrance the 
blooms possess. A few varieties with coloured flowers have 
been obtained from this, but its chief use is furnishing stacks 
for grafting the other sorts upon. 
A third old species, and one which has proved extremely 
useful to the hybridists, is C. florida, the first of those Japanese 
Clematises that have contributed so largely to the improvement 
of the various races. Dr. John Fothergill is credited with 
having introduced this in 1776, and since that time it has been 
freely employed for crossing with others, and it is now con¬ 
sidered the type of a group distinguished by their large flowers, 
produced in summer on the old wood. The original form is of 
rather slender habit, the flowers being whitish or creamy in 
colour, but diversely tinted, and handsome variations have been 
obtained far surpassing that. 
The present century has seen the greatest strides of progress, 
the advent of the beautiful Japanese and Chinese species C. 
patens, C. lanuginosa, C. Fortunei, and C. Standishi having 
afforded abundant scope for extended crossing, resulting in the 
superb forms that have made the fame of the English firms. 
The Woking and Sunningdale efforts in this direction have 
already been noted ; but it must also be added that Messrs. 
Cripps & Son of Tunbridge Wells have assisted in no mean 
degree, and now Messrs. R. Smith & Co. of Worcester have 
also gained considerable credit for their extensive culture of 
these plants, an enormous stock being annually disposed of. 
Perhaps the most remarkable and useful results of all were 
those obtained at Woking about a quarter of a centurjr ago by 
crossing the large-flowered C. lanuginosa with C. Hendersoni 
and some varieties of C. viticella, which yielded that grand 
hardy form C. Jackmanni, now so widely grown and so much 
appreciated as a free-growing profuse-flowering variety. 
Several of this type w T ere raised about the same time, but they 
all partake of the sterling characters marking the form certi¬ 
ficated at Kensington in 1863. 
The early-flowering C. patens has chiefly given iise to the 
race adapted for pot culture to flower in spring, and to which 
succeed the magnificent forms of C. lanuginosa, continuing the 
supply of flowers through the summer months, the Jackmanni 
section prolonging the display until autumn, so that for the 
greater portion of the year it is easy to have some representatives 
of the genus contributing to the adornment of the garden or 
conservatory. 
The varieties are now so numerous that it is not easy to 
make a selection, for nearly all have some special attraction of 
their own ; but the following list includes thoroughly useful, 
well-proved, and distinct forms. 
Single Varieties .—Fair Rosamond, blush, with reddish bars ; 
Lord Derby, pale lavender ; Lord Londesborough, deep mauve, 
with purplish bars ; Maiden’s Blush, white, tinted with rose ; 
Sir Garnet Wolseley, bluish, barred with red ; Vesta, white ; 
Gloire de St. Julienne, French white ; Robert Hanbury, lilac 
blue, flushed with red ; Lady Caroline Nevill, whitish, with 
lavender bars ; Mrs. James Bateman, pale lavender ; Jack¬ 
manni, deep purplish violet; and Star of India, bright plum, 
barred with red. These are named somewhat in the order in 
which they flower. 
Double Varieties .—Lucie Lemoine, white; John Gould 
Veitch, bluish lavender; Countess of Lovelace, lilac blue ; 
and Duchess of Edinburgh, pure white. Some of the newer 
varieties will be noted on a future occasion. —Lorrimore. 
VINES AT LONGLEAT. 
( Continued from page 441.') 
SUSTAINING FERTILITY. 
It will be remembered that the materials of wbicli 
my border is composed are very simple ; and now, as it 
is twelve years since its formation, it may be said that it 
is nothing more than a medium to contain the roots 
where they can be supplied with their necessary food. 
Certainly there is not much vegetable matter left in it 
which was there at first. And as we know the pro¬ 
ducts of vegetable decomposition furnish the greater 
bulk of plant food, we must see that there is some¬ 
thing to take its place. Mineral matter is of longer 
duration, but in all fruit-growing there is a great 
demand on its stores, and a continuous supply of it, 
too, is an imperative necessity. Most Grape-growers of 
note in the present day have no trouble about this, as 
they can add to their borders every two or three years an 
unlimited supply of fresh turf; and everything necessary 
for a Vine’s existence and productiveness for at least 
two or three years is to be found in almost any sample 
of turf. But still, such a plan has its disadvantages. 
Borders which have a considerable bulk added to them 
every two or three years must speedily grow to a large 
and inconvenient size, and where room is limited or 
good appearances respected we must from time to time 
make a fresh start, either by chopping off some of the 
roots or by having young Vines and new borders, 
I like to know where the roots of my Vines are, so 
that whatever is applied may reach them. In the 
borders made according to the present fashion the 
feeders are going year by year further from home, and 
there are few or none in the original ground. Now 
this is inconvenient, to say the least, and if it can be 
proved that a few square yards give sufficient space for 
the roots of a large Vine during half a century I think 
there is something gained. I do not say that I can 
prove this much, but it is now pretty well known that 
my Vines are enormousty large, and I can add that 
they have improved considerably since mo3t of the 
original decomposable matter was exhausted ; and as 
the improvement still continues there is no reason to 
suppose that, with our increased experience, a high 
standard may not be kept up on the same plan as long 
as the building lasts. 
The roots are as much under control as if they were 
in pots; they reach a good depth down in the border, 
hut are most numerous near the surface, and as much 
so close up to the stem as anywhere. I have given 
the present average extent of the roots when describ¬ 
ing the watering. 
