CLIMBING PLANTS. 635 



several whole phrases. Shortly, two, three words are spoken in con- 

 nection ; then the child is able, in broken phrases, to give an imperfect 

 account of something that has happened. It is not a very long step 

 from these beginnings to the construction of real sentences. The use 

 of the pronouns, verbs, and articles, is attended with difficulties for 

 some months, but the way is broken. The sentence gradually assumes 

 a correct shape, and the child at last gives clear evidence of his intel- 

 lectual power, more through his shrewd questions than his answers. 



If we compare the defects of childish speech with the lapses of 

 grown persons after their faculties have been disturbed by sickness, 

 we shall discover parallels of uncommon interest and astonishing com- 

 pleteness. All the faults of speech caused by sickness have their mini- 

 ature counterpart in the child. From illness, the matured man is no 

 longer in a condition ; in childhood, the unmatured man is not yet in 

 a condition, to speak correctly. In the former case, existing powers 

 are disturbed ; in the latter the powers of articulation and phrase- 

 making have not been perfected. One condition helps us to under- 

 stand the other. The parallel can not, however, be pursued here, for 

 the material for illustrating it is rich and will not admit of abridg- 

 ment. My present purpose has simply been to sketch the fundamental 

 conditions of the earliest development of the infant mind independent- 

 ly of the theories of the day, and to set forth the extraordinary signifi- 

 cance of the study. 



CLIMBING PLANTS. 



Br FRANCIS DAEWIN, F. L. S. 



I THINK most people have a general idea of what a climbing plant 

 is. Even in the smoky air of London two representatives of the 

 class flourish. A certain house in Portman Square shows how well 

 the Virginian creeper will grow ; and the ivy may be seen making a 

 window-screen for some London dining-rooms. 



Many other climbing plants will suggest themselves the vine, the 

 honeysuckle, the hop, the bryony as forming more or less striking 

 elements in the vegetation. 



If we inquire what qualities are common to these otherwise differ- 

 ent plants, we find that they all have weak and straggling stems, and 

 that, instead of being forced, like many weakly-built plants, to trail on 

 the ground, they are all enabled to raise themselves high above it, by 

 attaching themselves in some way to neighboring objects. This may 

 be effected in different ways : by clinging to a flat surface, like the 

 ivy; or twining round a stick, like the hop; or making use of tendrils, 

 like the vine. 



