868 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 19, 1892. 
SOME USEFUL GREENHOUSE CLIMBERS. 
Without climbers a lofty greenhouse or conservatory is like 
a picture without a frame—it needs furnishing. This fact, no 
doubt, will be admitted by all who are responsible for the embel¬ 
lishment of such structures, and yet it cannot be said that all of 
them are so well supplied with climbing plants as they should be. 
Nothing enhances the appearance of a conservatory more than the 
judicious use of climbers, and the same applies, though in a less 
degree, to the humbler greenhouse, which in many gardens has fo 
do duty as a so-called “ show house.” It will thus be seen that 
the matter is of more importance than it appears to be on the 
surface, and gardeners should give it greater attention where 
hitherto it has been neglected. There are, as is generally well 
known, plenty of climbing plants suitable for growing in all kinds 
of structures, and therefore there should be no difficulty in making 
a judicious selection. In furnishing a structure with climbers the 
aim should be to select such kinds as will insure a continued 
display of bloom as long as possible, though in many cases this 
point seems to be entirely ignored. Too often a conservatory is 
gay with climbing plants one week and the next is devoid of 
flowers, so far as the roof is concerned. Where Roses alone are 
grown this result is most conspicuous, and therefore it would be 
well to grow some other plants in conjunction with them to prolong 
the display. 
At the present time Bougainvillea speciosa is flowering profusely 
in a lofty greenhouse of my acquaintance, the long shoots being 
covered with mauve-coloured flowers. This is a charming species, 
and, in my opinion, much more effective than B. glabra, which is 
better suited for a stove or intermediate house. I remember seeing 
a fine specimen of the former in a large greenhouse at Sandbeck 
Park, Rotherham, some years ago, and during May and June it 
formed quite a picture. The flowers were produced on shoots fully 
4 feet in length, which covered the greater portion of the roof. 
After flowering these shoots were cut back to within a few inches 
of the main stems that were trained up the rafters, and fresh 
growths encouraged, the latter blooming the following year. But 
perhaps Mr. Summers will give readers of “Our Journal” the 
benefit of his experience with this charming climber. 
Lapagerias are indispensable in lofty structures, though they 
are not so well adapted for smaller houses. They are undoubtedly 
seen to the greatest advantage, as indeed are all similar plants, 
when hanging loosely from the roof. Beyond what is really 
necessary to secure the main branches, no tying or training should 
be practised with Lapagerias. According to my experience the 
white form, L. alba, is not such a vigorous grower as L. rosea, 
especially in a mixed house. When once established, however, it 
will make good growth, and should be given a place in every con¬ 
servatory, the pure white waxy flowers being so useful for cutting. 
The Nash Court variety of L. rosea, sent out some years since by 
Messrs. Laing & Sons, is a decided improvement on the type, and 
should be grown in preference to the latter. The flowers are 
larger, of a better colour, and are produced in immense quantities. 
The plant, moreover, is a most vigorous grower. Many fail with 
Lapagerias owing to injudicious watering. During the summer 
they require an unlimited supply, and if growing in borders, as 
they generally are, it frequently happens that the greater portion 
of the roots do not get any water. Those who have failed with 
Lapagerias hitherto will do well to bear this in mind during the 
coming summer. Good drainage is also essential. 
Many of the Passifloras are excellent greenhouse climbers, but, 
like the Lapagerias, show their beauty beat in a lofty structure. In 
small houses Passifloras often take up more room than they are 
worth. For unheated structures, or those from which frost is only 
just excluded, the white variety Constance Elliot is well worth 
growing, though where more heat is forthcoming some of the 
choicer forms are preferable. Eynsford Gem, a variety sent out by 
Messrs. Cannell a year or two ago, is very showy with its reddish 
flowers, and it is, moreover, well nigh a perpetual bloomer. The 
edible Passion Flower (Passiflora edulis) makes luxuriant growth, 
and in addition to its charming flowers these produce, when fertilised, 
a crop of very fine fruits which are esteemed for dessert. There are 
many more Passifloras that are deserving of notice, and which 
might be grown with advantage where space permits. They all 
require liberal treatment, though are generally the most floriferous 
when the roots are confined. 
Of Clematises, the popular C. indivisa lobata is undoubtedly 
the most useful. There are many which produce larger and 
more showy flowers individually, but for effect this variety can 
hold its own. The flowers, as is well known, are small, pure white, 
and very sweet. These are produced in great profusion, and a 
well-grown specimen is highly effective during the spring months. 
Not being a particularly vigorous grower, this Clematis might 
advantageously be grown in small greenhouses, such as are gene¬ 
rally found in amateurs’ gardens, and it will not fail to give 
satisfaction. When other kinds are preferred the beautiful 
Duchess of Edinburgh of the Florida section is well worth growing. 
This is a semi-double, the flowers being remarkably fine and pure 
white. Altogether it is one of the most delightful Clematises I 
have seen. Miss Bateman, too, with large delicately coloured 
flowers is worthy of a place in every greenhouse. 
The Jasmines are also worth considering, the sweet-scented 
flowers being, as a rule, much appreciated. The same may be said 
of Bignonia venusta, which makes a charming display when 
covered with trusses of flowers of a rich orange-red colour. This 
is an old favourite, though by no means extensively cultivated in 
modern gardens. As a pillar plant it is very effective, as is Habro- 
thamnus elegans. For covering the back wall of a greenhouse 
Plumbago capensis is admirably adapted, and it yields a profusion 
of pale blue flowers all through the summer and autumn months. 
Clianthus magnificus, when well grown, is showy with its brilliant 
scarlet flowers. Coboea scandens variegata and Maurandya Bar- 
clayana are pleasing in appropriate positions, while for winter and 
spring flowering few plants are more useful or more easily grown 
than the best varieties of Tropseolum Lobbianum, all of which 
bloom most profusely in a greenhouse.— Nomad. 
Oncidiums and Miltonias. 
In part 8 of their “ Manual of Orchidaceous Plants,” to the 
issue of which we recently referred, Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons 
deal with the genera Oncidium, Miltonia, Ada, Brassia, Gomeza, 
lonopsis, and Ornithocephalus, the greatest prominence being given 
to the two former. The genus Oncidium is one of great beauty 
and interest, and the completeness with which it has been dealt, 
combined with admirable illustration, will materially strengthen 
the great work of which it forms a part. We learn that the genus 
was founded by Swartz, the Swedish botanist, at the beginning 
of the present century on the West Indian species altissimum, 
carthaginense, Cebolleta, tetrapetalum, and variegatum, which he 
separated from the Linniean genus Epidendrum ; but although he 
knew these only, “ so rapid has been the progress of discovery 
since that upwards of 300 have now been published, including, 
doubtless, several horticultural varieties, and of these nearly three- 
fifths are said to have been in cultivation at one time or other.” 
But all of them have not become permanent occupants of our 
Orchid houses, for whether, as is pointed out, “the circumstances 
attending the environment of the plants in their native forests are 
too imperfectly known, or the climatic conditions under which they 
live cannot be approached sufficiently near by artificial means, or 
from some physiological cause inherent in the plants themselves, 
certain it is that of the thousands of Orchids which have been 
imported from Central and South America a very small proportion 
have remained denizens among us for any length of time,” 
Naturally the classification of such a number presented great 
difficulties. Lindley distributed the 200 species known to him into 
fourteen series or sections ; but as all professors do not agree on 
the number of conjugations required by French verbs, so Bentham, 
when he overhauled the genus for the “ Genera Plantarum,” did 
not agree with this distribution, and reduced the number to four. 
It is only fair to say that Lindley was by no means satisfied with 
his own handiwork, foreseeing errors from causes that it was 
beyond his power to control. 
Messrs. Veitch & Sons justly deplore the fact that owing to 
“ the vagueness of the information that has been communicated 
respecting the habitats of most of the species in cultivation, and the 
total absence of it in the case of others, and of some known only as 
herbarium specimens, the geographical distribution of Oncidium can 
only be stated in general terms.” Many collectors have thought of 
nothing but the sale value of their discoveries, and taken no 
account of the habitat and local surroundings, although it has 
been in their power to supply much interesting and valuable 
information of this sort. We hear of Smith, Jones, or Robinson’s 
hunting ground, but that is indefinite to say the least of it. The 
authors have done their best with the material at their command, 
and save themselves many pages of letterpress by an admirable 
coloured map indicating the geographical distribution of the genus, 
which shows at a glance what it would be otherwise difficult to 
convey clearly and tersely. The cultural notes are worthy of 
