CREEPERS AND CLIMBERS
The CLIMBING, and TWINING SHRUBS offer a numerous family, highly
deserving of cultivation, the following being a few of the most
desirable.
The HONEY-SUCKLE, Caprifolium, having no native name, is too well known,
and too closely connected with the home associations of all to need
particularizing. It is remarkable that they always twine from east to
west, and rather die than submit to a change.
The TRUMPET FLOWER, Bignonia, are an eminently handsome family, chiefly
considered stove plants in Europe, but here growing freely in the open
ground, and flowering in loose spikes.
The MOUNTAIN EBONY, Bauhinia, the distinguishing mark of the class being
its two lobed leaves, most of them are indigenous, and in their native
woods attain an immense size, far beyond what botanists in Europe appear
to give them credit for.
The VIRGIN'S BOWER, Clematis, finds some indigenous representatives in
this country, although unnamed in the native language; the odour however
is rather too powerful, and of some kinds even offensive, except
immediately after a shower of rain. They are all climbers, requiring the
same treatment as the honey suckle.
The PASSION FLOWER, Passiflora, is a very large family of twining
shrubs, many of them really beautiful, and generally of easy
cultivation, this country being of the same temperature with their
indigenous localities.
The RACEMOSE ASPARAGUS, A. racemosus, Sadabooree, sutmoolee, is a
native of India, and by nature a trailing plant, but better cultivated
as a climber on a trellis, in which way its delicate setaceous foliage
makes it at all times ornamental, and at the close of the rains it sends
forth abundant bunches of long erect spires of greenish white color, and
of delicious fragrance, shedding perfume all around to a great distance.
KALENDAR WORK TO BE PERFORMED.
JANUARY.
Thin out seeding annuals wherever they appear too thick. Water freely,
especially such plants as are in bloom, and keep all clean from weeds.
Cut off the footstalks of flowers, except such as are reserved for seed,
as soon as the petals fade. Collect the seeds of early annuals as they
ripen.
FEBRUARY.
Continue as directed in last month. Prepare stocks for roses to be
grafted on, R. bengalensis, and R. canina are the best. Great care must
be paid to thinning out the buds of roses to insure perfect blossoms, as
well as to rubbing off the succulent upright shoots and suckers that are
apt to spring up at this period. Collect seeds as they ripen, to be
dried, or hardened in the shade.
Collect seeds as they ripen, drying them carefully, for a few days in
the pods, and subsequently when freed from them in the shade, to put
them in the sun being highly injurious. Give a plentiful supply of water
in saucers to Narcissus, or other bulbs when flowering.
MARCH.
Cut down the flower stalks of Narcissus that have ceased flowering, and
lessen the supply of water. Take up the tubers of Dahlias, and dry
gradually in an open place in the shade, but do not remove the offsets
for some days. Pot any of the species of Geranium that have been put out
after the rains, provided they are not in bloom. Give water freely to
the roots of all flowers that are in blossom. Mignionette that is in
blossom should have the seed pods clipped off with a pair of scissors
every day to continue it. Convolvulus in flower should be shaded early
in the morning, or it will quickly fade. The Evening Primrose should be
freely watered to increase the number of blossoms. Look to the
Carnations that are coming into bloom, give support to the flower stem,
cutting off all side shoots and buds, except the one intended to give a
handsome flower.
APRIL.
Careful watering, avoiding any wetting of the leaves is necessary at
this period, and the saucers of all bulbs not yet flowered should be
kept constantly full, to promote blossoming--the saucers should however
be kept clean, and washed out every third day at least. Frequent weeding
must be attended to, with occasional watering all grass plots, or paths.
Wherever any part of the garden becomes empty by the clearing off of
annuals, it should be well dug to a depth of at least eighteen inches,
and after laying exposed in clods for a week or two, manured with tank
or road mud; leaf mould, or other good well rotted manure.
MAY.
This is the time to make layers of Honeysuckle, Bauhinia, and other
climbing and twining shrubs.
Mignionette must be very carefully treated, kept moist, and every seed-
pod clipped off as soon as the flower fades, or it will not be
preserved. Continue to dig, and manure the borders, not leaving the
manure exposed, or it will lose power. Make pipings and layers of
Carnations.
JUNE.
Thin out the multitudinous buds of the Madras rose, also examine the
buds of the Persian rose, to prevent the bursting of the calyx by tying
with thread, or with a piece of parchment, or cardboard as directed for
Carnations.
Watch Carnations to prevent the bursting of the calyx, and to remove
superfluous buds. Re pot Geraniums that are in sheds, or verandahs, so
soon as they have done flowering, also take up, and pot any that may yet
remain in the borders. Prune off also all superfluous, or straggling
branches. Continue digging over and manuring the flowering borders. Sow
Zinnias, also make cuttings of perennials and biennials that are
propagated by that means, and put in seeds of biennials under shelter,
as well as a few of the early annuals, particularly Stock and Sweet-pea.
JULY.
Make cuttings and layers of hardy shrubs, and of the Fragrant Olive; put
in cuttings of the Willow, and some other trees. Plant out Pines, and
Casuarina, Cypress, Large-leaved fig, and the Laurel tribe. Transplant
young shrubs of a hardy nature.
Divide the roots, and plant out suckers, or offsets of perennial border
plants. Make cuttings and sow seeds of biennials, as required; also a
few annuals to be hereafter transplanted. Sow also Geraniums. Continue
making pipings of Carnation, plant out, or transplant hardy perennials
into the borders.
AUGUST.
This may be considered the best time for sowing the seeds of hardy
shrubs. Plant out Aralia, Canella, Magnolia, and other ornamental trees.
Transplant delicate and exotic shrubs. Remove, and plant out suckers,
and layers of hardy shrubs. Prune all shrubs freely.
Divide, and plant out suckers, and offsets of hardy perennials, that
have formed during the rains. Plant out tender perennial plants, in the
borders, also biennials. Prune, and thin out perennial plants in the
borders. Put out in the borders such annuals as were sown in June,
protecting them from the heat of the sun in the afternoon. Sow a few
early annuals. Plant out Dahlia tubers where they are intended to
blossom, keeping them as much as possible in classes of colors. Make
pipings of Carnations.
SEPTEMBER.
Prick out the cuttings of hardy shrubs that have been made before, or
during the rains, in beds for growing. Prune all flowering shrubs,
having due regard to the character of each, as bearing flowers on the
end of the shoots, or from the side exits, give the annual dressing of
manure to the entire shrubbery, with new upper soil.
Remove the top soil from the borders, and renew with addition of a
moderate quantity of manure. Put out Geraniums into the borders, and set
rooted cuttings singly in pots. Plant out biennials in the borders, also
such annuals as have been sown in pots. Re-pot and give fresh earth to
plants in the shed.
OCTOBER.
Open out the roots of a few Bussorah roses for early flowering, pruning
down all the branches to a height of six inches, removing all decayed,
and superannuated wood, dividing the roots, and pruning them freely. The
Madras roses should be treated in the same manner, not all at the same
time, but at intervals of a week between each cutting down, so as to
secure a succession for blossoming. Plant out rooted cuttings in beds,
to increase in size.
Sow annuals freely, and thin out those put in last month, so as to leave
sufficient space for growing, at the same time transplanting the most
healthy to other parts of the border.
NOVEMBER.
Continue opening the roots of Bussorah roses, as well as the Rose
Edward, and Madras roses, for succession to those on which this
operation was performed last month. Prune, and trim the Sweetbriar, and
Many-flowered rose.
Flower-Garden--Divide, and plant bulbs of all kinds, both, for border,
and pot flowering. Continue to sow annuals.
DECEMBER
Continue opening the roots, and cutting down the branches of Bussorah,
and other roses for late flowering. Prune, and thin out also the China
and Persian roses, as well as the Many-flowered rose, if not done last
month. Train carefully all climbing and twining shrubs.
Weed beds of annuals, and thin out, where necessary. Sow Nepolitan, and
other fine descriptions of Larkspur, as well as all other annuals for a
late show. Dahlias are now blooming in perfection, and should be closely
watched that every side-bud, or more than one on each stalk may be cut
off close, with a pair of scissors to secure full, distinctly colored,
and handsome flowers.
[For further instructions respecting the culture of flowers in India I
must refer my readers to the late Mr. Speede's works, where they will
find a great deal of useful information not only respecting the flower-
garden, but the kitchen-garden and the orchard.]
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