FORMERLY HEAD GARDENER TO CALEB COPE, ESQ., AT SPRINGBROOK, AND AT THE BARTRAM BOTANIC ENGLAND. OF "AMERICAN HAND-BOOK OF ORNAMENTAL TREES, "FLOWERS AND FERNS OF THE U. S.," ETC. VOLUME XXV, 1883. PHILADELPHIA: CHARLES H. MAROT, PUBLISHER, No. 814 CHESTNUT STREET, 1883. THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY AND HORTICULTURIST. DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE, ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS. Edited by THOMAS MEEHAN. VOLUME XXV. JANUARY, 1883. NUMBER 289. FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. SEASONABLE HINTS. These are the varieties of the English Ivy, the Trumpet vine, and the different kinds of Ampelopsis; and even the English Ivy will not stick to smooth walls. But if the Trumpet vine or the Ampelopsis be planted with the ivy, the latter will cling to the other vines as well as to the wall, and then keep safe hold. The evergreen Euonymus makes a good self-climbing vine, though not as much used as it really deserves to be. In order to have the beauty of variety which the great Asking a friend, who had a beautiful rural residence, why she did not plant vines, or creepers as the English would say, over the walls, she replied by referring to a mutual acquaintance who had done so with the result of making the walls so damp that the vines had to be cut away. It so happened that we knew all about the affair. The vines were allowed to cover the eaves, over the gutters and push their way in under the shingles | number of hardy vines affords, it is best to have of the roof. Thus obstructed, the water made its trellises over the face of the walls. These are best way down into the wall, from the top under the made of strong galvanized wire. Iron hooks roof, and of course the wall was wet. Vines should be fastened, by melted sulphur, into stones should always be kept cut down below the roof sunk under ground, and others up under the eaves, It is a little trouble to do this once a year, but we and the wires attached to these. Cross wires can cannot get even our shoes blacked without some then be fastened to these, so as to make the meshes trouble. Those who know how beautiful and how about a foot apart. Properly done these wires will cosy looks a vine-covered cottage will not object last a lifetime, and the vines will, with a very little to the few hours' labor it requires to keep vines help, make their way of their own accord up the from stopping up the gutter. Vines really make a wires. Recently the writer noted a plant of the wall dry. The millions of rootlets by which they red-berried Pyracantha trained up over wires in adhere to the wall absorb water; and an examina- this way. Evergreen, and covered by bright red tion will prove a vine-covered wall to be as "dry berries, few things could make a cottage wall more as an old bone." One great advantage of a vine-gay. Wires, trellises, and other preparations ean covered cottage, not often thought of, is that it is be made for this vine planting before the springcooler in summer and warmer in winter than when time comes. there is but a mere naked wall. There are only a few vines that will cling of their own accord. The chief enjoyment in this department at this season, lies in planning out the necessary improve |