Like many garden plants, Clematis thrives best in a rich 
garden loam of rather light texture. Sand and peat-moss may be 
added to a heavy soil to loosen it. Then, too, the soil must be 
well drained. Since Clematis is partial to lime, it should 
be mixed with the soil when planting, and if necessary it 
may be occasionally added thereafter, working it well into 
the soil without disturbing the roots (a spadeful to each 
barrow of soil). Applications of water during dry periods will 
help to keep the plants in a healthy condition. The addition 
of well-decomposed cow-manure, or any other animal manure 
or bonemeal, worked well into the soil, will supply the neces¬ 
sary plant nutrients. 
Planting and pruning require no special skill. Clematis 
should be planted with the collar of the plant at least 2 to 3 
inches below the surface of the soil. Prepare a sufficiently large 
area to accommodate the roots easily and spread them loosely. 
Then firm the soil around the roots. It is not necessary to culti¬ 
vate Clematis, and, in fact, the roots resent coddling. In prun¬ 
ing, one must remember that those species of Clematis which 
bloom in the spring months, such as Montana rubens, Recta, 
Montana undulata, etc., should not be pruned until fall, except 
for the removal of dead wood, which should be cut out in 
February or March. Varieties which produce bloom on new 
wood in the summer and fall should not be pruned until they 
have become well established; then the vines may be cut back 
to a height of 3 feet to encourage vigorous new growth. How¬ 
ever, if height is desired for some special purpose, merely remove 
the dead wood and thin out the stems to insure strong growth. 
Experiments have proved that size and quality of blooms are 
superior when the plants are pruned severely. However, it is 
well to allow all Clematis plants to become well established 
before doing much in the way of pruning. 
While the uncertain winters of the past few years have given 
gardeners much alarm, it is well to remember that winter-killing 
can be greatly checked by simply applying a mulch of leaves, 
straw or peat, or well-rotted manure, in the late fall. The mulch 
can be made to do double duty since it can be incorporated with 
the soil in the spring. Amateur gardeners are well aware that a 
little extra care is worth while for most new plants in the garden, 
and this is true of Clematis. It might be of interest to state that 
Clematis plants have withstood a temperature of 40 degrees 
[ 8 ] 
JAMES I. GEORGE & SON 
