Page:The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory.djvu/198

184 well trained up pillars and walls, their feathery foliage giving the house a peculiar light and elegant appearance. In addition to the beauty of the foliage, they flower with the greatest abundance in the spring, loading the atmosphere with the most grateful odour. Young plants are readily raised from seed. A. offinis, A. dealhata, A. pubescens, A. Biceana, are four good species.

.&mdash;B. Cherere, B. jasminoides, B. venusta, and B. grandiflora are all good. The first and last are strong growers, and most suitable for large structures. The first produces large bunches of scarlet and orange flowers; the second has neat, dark, glossy green foliage, with white flowers, and will do for any-sized house. To promote flowering keep the wood thinned out, and keep them rather dry at the roots through September and October. They will flower freely if the wood is properly ripened, and both the above-mentioned proceedings materially aid that necessary process. The stubby side-shoots when about half ripe strike freely.

.&mdash;There are so many beautiful species and varieties of the Virgin's Bower, that it is rather a difficult matter to know where to begin, when making a selection. They are mostly hardy, and are unequalled for covering trellises either in doors or out. They are easily increased by cuttings or layers; the last-mentioned way is the surest to adopt by those who know very little about propagating matters. July is the best time for performing the operation. For flowering in May and June select Azurea grandiflora, deep purple; Standishi, violet-blue; Fortunei, large double white; and John Gould Veitch. These must be pruned very hard in the winter, as they flower from the old wood through May and June. For flowering after the above, the undermentioned are particularly good:Jackmanni, violet-purple; Rubra-violacea, maroon shaded with violet; Rubella, rich velvety claret; Lanuginosa, pale blue, very large; Lanuginosa candida. These bloom on the young wood, and should be pruned back to about four buds in November.

.&mdash;C. scandens and C. scandens variegata are invaluable for covering quickly large spaces, but with judicious management are equally good for small houses. G. penduliflora is a curiosity