8 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  5,  1900. 
Society  or  rcenibers  of  the  Council.  Mr.  Alex.  Dean  took  upon  himself 
to  champion  the  ladies,  and  was  of  the  opinion  that  their  exclusion 
from  eligibility  was  not  just  or  right.  He  pointed  out  that  there  were 
roughly  1000  lady  Fellows,  and  consideied  they  should  have  the  same 
privileges  extended  to  them  as  the  mere  men  Fellows.  Major-General 
Ince  seconded  the  proposal  for  equality  of  the  sexes,  and  on  its  being 
put  to  the  meeting  it  was  carried  without  dissent.  The  bye-laws  will 
therefore  be  amended  so  as  to  permit  of  lady  Fellows  being  elected  on 
to  the  governing  body,  if  such  be  the  wish  of  those  present  at  a  general 
meeting. 
Dr.  Maxwell  T.  Masters  proposed  that  the  words  “  men  of  science  ” 
be  substituted  for  the  word  “horticulturists”  in  the  second  line  of 
clause  16,  bye-law  III.,  and  this  having  been  seconded  was  agreed  to 
neni.  con. 
1  u  bye-law  VIII.  were  found  the  most  important  alterations,  these 
having  reference  to  clattses  45,  46,  47,  and  48.  In  referring  to  the 
matter  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence  said,  that  in  view  of  the  opposition 
observable  amongst  the  Fellows  to  proxy  voting,  the  Council  recom¬ 
mended  the  substitution  of  other  clauses,  of  which  the  substance  had 
been  published  through  the  gardening  press  (see  Journal  of  Horticulture 
June  28th,  page  547).  The  deviation  from  the  forms  there  given  were 
mainly  those  recommended  by  the  Society’s  lawyers,  and  they  were 
eventually  carried,  after  having  been  twice  read  by  the  secretary,  with 
an  additional  one,  proposed  by  Mr.  Arthur  Sutton.  This  was  to  the 
effect  that  in  the  event  of  any  motion  being  carried  by  less  than  three- 
fifths  majority  of  the  members  present  at  a  meeting,  the  minority  f  f 
two-fifths  should  have  power  to  demand  a  poll.  It  was  impossible, 
owing  to  essential  alterations,  to  get  the  text  of  these  new  bye-laws, 
which  practically  result  in  poll  voting  being  substituted  for  the  proxy 
voting,  originally  favoured  by  the  Council.  The  whole  will  be  published 
complete  in  the  Journal  of  the  Society,  of  which  an  issue  may  be  looked 
for  in  the  course  of  a  week  or  two. 
Mr.  A.  H.  Smee  recommended  elucidatory  additions  to  clause  67 
of  bye-law  IX.,  and  clause  76  of  bye-law  X,  both  of  which  were 
unanimously  agreed  to  by  the  meeting. 
The  appendix  embodying  forms  A,  B,  C,  and  D  was  carried  without 
a  dissentient  voice. 
A  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  the  chairman  brought  the  proceedings 
to  a  close. 
- - - - - - — - - - 
Tlfe  Clematis. 
This  well  known  genus  of  the  order  Eanunculaceas  derives  its  name 
from  the  Greek  word  Klema,  a  Vine  branch,  and  is  also  known  in  this 
country  by  the  familiar  name  of  Virgin’s  Bower.  The  species,  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  “  Index  Kewensis,”  number  about  210,  which  are  to  be  found 
mostly  in  the  temperate  zones  of  both  hemispheres,  so,  with  few 
exceptions,  are  hardy  in  this  country.  Only  one  species,  C.  vitalba,  is  a 
native  of  England,  and  it  may  be  seen  growing  freely  in  chalky  soils, 
rambling  over  hedges,  bushes,  aud  hanging  cliffs,  covered  each  autumn 
with  its  profuse  tufts  of  grey  plumose  fruits,  which  gained  it  the  name 
of  Old  Man’s  Beard. 
Several  other  species  are,  however,  familiar  in  our  gardens — notably 
C.  llammula,  C.  montana,  and  C.  viticella,  whilst  we  occasionally  find 
the  following  :  C.  erecta,  C.  integrifolia,  C.  paniculata,  C.  graveolens, 
C.  coccinea,  C.  patens,  C.  lanuginosa,  C.  Fortunei,  and  C.  Standishi. 
This  is,  however,  only  a  small  choice  of  species  which,  in  my  opinion, 
deserve  more  attention  ;  it  would  take  up  too  much  time  to  go 
thoroughly  into  the  list,  but  those  which  strike  me  more  particularly 
are  the  pretty  early  spring-blooming  C.  calycina,  with  its  small,  bell¬ 
shaped,  yellowish-white  flowers,  marked  inside  with  purplish  spots; 
C.  alpina  aud  sibirica,  the  blue  and  white  species  from  the  Alps  and 
mountains  iu  Siberia  respectively,  so  useful  for  the  rockery,  rootery,  or 
pillar;  C.  campaniflora,  with  its  fragrant  small  white  or  purplish- 
tin'ed  flowers  in  June  and  July;  the  small  yellow-flowered  C.  Wilfordi, 
which  blooms  profusely  in  August  and  September;  C.  lathyrifolia,  the 
herbaceous  perennial  which  produces  its  small  white  flowers  in  loose 
corymbose  panicles  from  June  to  August;  and  the  sweet-scented 
Ctiinese  species,  C.  Davidiana,  with  its  tubulose  or  Hyacinth-shaped 
flowers  of  bright  blue  disposed  in  elegant  clustered  heads  during  the 
month  of  September. 
For  size  and  beauty  the  species  are  mostly  far  surpassed  by  the 
hybrids,  which  have  been  mostly  obtained  from  C.  patens,  C.  lanuginosa, 
C.  Fortunei,  and  C.  Standishi,  the  last  three  being  sent  over  by  Fortune 
from  China  in  1851. 
The  first  person  to  commence  the  hybridisation  of  the  Clematis  in 
a  sj  stematic  manner  was  Mr.  Anderson  Henry  of  Edinburgh,  who,  in 
1855,  crossed  C.  patens  with  C.  lanuginosa,  from  which  he  obtained 
C  Eeginse,  though,  I  believe,  the  honour  of  raising  the  first  hybrid 
must  be  given  to  the  late  Mr.  Henderson  of  Pine  Apple  Nursery,  who, 
sixteen  years  previous  to  the  aforementioned  date,  raised  C.  Hendersoni, 
but  whether  it  was  an  artificially  produced  or  chance  hybrid  I  am  unable 
to  say. 
'I  he  next  person  to  take  up  hybridisation  was  my  father,  who,  in 
1858,  raised  the  still  popular  C.  Jackmanni,  which  he  followed  until 
1877  with  many  other  varieties  still  in  cultivation-.  We  are  also 
indebted  to  Mr.  Charles  Noble,  Messrs.  Cripps  &  Son,  Monsieur  Simon 
Louis,  Monsieur  Lemoine,  and  many  others  for  several  fine  forms, 
though  from  1877  to  1894  successful  hybridisation  appears  to  have  been 
almost  at  a  standstill.  This,  I  believe,  was  due  to  two  causes ;  firstly, 
the  want  of  using  fresh  blood,  secondly,  to  the  insidious  “  dying  off  ” 
with  which  the  Clematis  has  been  affected  for  so  long,  rendering 
hybridisation  not  only  disappointing  but  almost  useless. 
I  am  pleased,  however,  to  be  able  to  affirm,  after  several  years’' 
close  study  and  experiments,  that  I  have  been  able  to  a  great  extent 
to  avert  this  calamity,  the  losses  at  Woking  being  now  compara¬ 
tively  small,  and  all  of  these  it  would  be  obviously  unfair  to  attribute 
entirely  to  the  so  called  “dying  off.”  I  have  noted  from  time  to  time 
the  different  opinions  that  have  been  given  as  to  the  cause  of  this 
“  dying  off,”  some  persons  believing  it  to  be  caused  by  inj-iry  from  frost, 
some  attributing  it  to  too  much  nourishment,  water,  and  heat;  some 
considering  it  to  be  brought  about  by  the  bursting  of  the  cells  through 
excessive  moisture,  whilst  others  think  it  is  caused  by  eelworms  or 
fungus,  and  also  to  grafting.  There  is  no  doubt  that  frost  is  the  cause 
of  some  deaths,  and  too  much  water  and  bad  drainage  to  others,  but  I 
cannot  agree  with  them  that  either  of  these  is  the  sole  cause  of  all  the 
losses.  My  experience  is  that  the  plants  mostly  succumb  during  the 
summer  months  when  the  ground  is  driest  and  the  sun  has  most  power, 
and  in  the  majority  of  these  cases  I  could  not  detect  any  sign  of  the 
plants  having  had  too  much  nourishment  or  water,  or  that  the  drainage 
was  bad. 
With  regard  to  insects  and  fungus,  I  have  often  noticed  them  in  the 
decayed  part  some  days  after  the  branch  failed,  but  not  in  the  first 
stage.  I  have  also  seen  eelworms  in  knobs  formed  on  the  roots,  more 
especially  of  the  common  C.  viticella,  but  I  have  never  seen  this  species 
go  off  in  the  same  way  as  the  hybrids,  so  I  cannot  attribute  the  cause 
to  them,  though  they  are  no  doubt  very  injurious  to  the  plant. 
I  have  frequently  examined  the  roots  of  the  hybrids  which  have 
died  down,  and  iu  most  cases  they  appeared  perfectly  clean  and  healthy,, 
the  decay  having  started  at  or  above  the  graft,  and  the  plant  has  often 
shot  up  again  from  the  base,  sometimes  only  to  die  down  once  more. 
Grafting  also  cannot  be  put  down  as  the  direct  reason,  as  plants  on 
their  own  roots  go  off  in  the  same  manner. 
I  do  not  think,  however,  that  C.  vitalba,  which  is  so  generally  used 
as  a  stock,  is  entirely  suitable  for  some  of  the  large  flowering  hybrids. 
The  roots  differ  from  those  of  the  latter,  being  of  a  hard  wiry  character, 
the  hybrids  appearing,  after  they  have  had  sufficient  time  to  get 
established  on  their  own  roots,  to  ignore  the  stock,  which  eventually 
decays. 
Eeverting  again  to  the  “  dying  off,”  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  it  is 
mainly  due  to  loss  of  constitution  through  over-propagation,  which  has 
been  brought  about  by  the  great  populari'y  of,  and  consequent  demand 
for  the  hybrids,  and  being  of  a  sofc  succulent  nature,  have  responded 
only  loo  freely  to  the  treatment.  My  other  reasons  for  coming  to  that 
conclusion  are,  as  already  mentioned,  that  the  plants  mostly  go  off  on 
the  hot  bright  days  of  summer,  and  in  many  cases  after  having  made 
several  feet  of  growth,  and  are  forming  the  flower  buds,  which  seems  to 
me  to  imply  that  they  are  wanting  in  vital  pow'er,  and  are  unable  to 
withstand  the  extra  call  upon  their  strength  and  the  extreme  heat. 
If  it  is  not  loss  of  constitution  why  was  the  “  dying  off  ”  not  noticed 
twenty -five  years  ago,  aud  why  has  it  increased  of  recent  years,  not  only 
in  this  country  but  on  the  Continent,  and  how  is  it  we  do  not  see  the 
rampant  robust  growths  of  former  years  P  Again,  it  seems  strange  that 
whilst  the  large  hybrids  have  been  so  badly  affected,  I  have  never  seen 
C.  montana,  C.  flammula,  C.  viticella.,  or  C.  vitalba  collapse  in  the  same 
manner,  unless  my  contention  is  correct  that  over-propagation  is  the 
cause.  I  might  also  mention  I  have  not  yet  seen  signs  of  the  dying  off 
amongst  the  new  hybrids  from  C.  coccinea. 
As  a  decorative  plant  the  Clematis  is  almost  unequalled.  Few 
climbers  can  surpass  it  for  covering  a  wall  or  porch  of  a  house,  or 
training  over  trelliswork,  commencing  with  C.  montana  early  in  May, 
and  followed  throughout  the  summer  and  autumn  by  the  large  hybrids 
of  the  patens,  florida,  lanuginosa,  viticella,  and  Jackmanni  types.  To 
these  must  be  now  included  the  new  coccinea  hybrids  C.  Countess  of 
Onslow,  C.  Duchess  of  Albanv,  C.  Duchess  of  York,  C.  Grace  Darling, 
and  C.  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  which,  with  those  of  the  last  type,  remain 
in  bloom  till  frost  comes. 
The  Clematis  is  at  home  either  planted  out  or  grown  in  pots  in  the 
conservatory,  cool  greenhouse,  or  glass  corridor,  if  the  situation  is  not 
too  shady  or  confined.  Those  of  the  patens  or  florida  types  are  often 
more  apprecia-ed  in  these  positions  than  when  grown  out  of  doors, 
coming  into  bloom  as  they  do  at  a  time  when  flowers  are  somewhat 
scarce,  through  escaping  the  May  frosts  which  sometimes  spoil  those 
growing  outside.  Eambling  up  pillars  and  poles,  over  rootery  or 
rockwork,  they  are  alike  elegant,  and  when  bedded  out  produce  a  most 
gorgeous  effect ;  but  when  this  is  done  it  is  desirable  that  those  of  the 
viticella  and  Jackmanni  types  should  be  selected  on  account  of  their 
profuse  blooming  properties.  Some  of  the  smaller  flowered  species, 
such  as  C.  flammula,  C.  graveolens,  C.  montana,  C.  vitalba,  or 
C.  viticella  are  also  quite  in  keeping  with  wild  scenery  when  scrambling 
over  ruins,  arbours,  tree  stumps,  banks,  hedges,  and  bushes,  whilst 
several  of  the  herbaceous  and  sub-shrubby  species  and  varieties  are 
worthy  of  a  place  in  any  herbaceous  or  mixed  border.— (Read  before  the 
Horticultural  Club,  Tuesday,  June  19th,  by  Mr.  A.  G.  Jackman.) 
