GIANT IVY. 



a stick could be thrust to ascertain how mucli water had accumulated ; and rarely the 

 box is turned on its side to discharge any surplus. This box externally is covered 

 with strips of oak bark ; a longer piece being used in the middle of the ends and sides, 

 to represent handles. This is all very simple and easy in practice, and once obtained 

 will hist for a long series of years, being moved into a shady spot in summer, and 

 brought in-dooi-s at early frost. 



Two or three winters nursing will bring the plant to the size we have mentioned ; 

 and if a little care is exercised to train it on one side of the trellis, it can be at any 

 time cut from its strings, and a larger trellis supplied, as its size increases. The sup- 

 ports may be of oak, cut thin, interspersed with bamboo cross-pieces. In time it may 

 require shifting to a larger case ; and will then, if you do not choose to trim it to suit 

 your window or corner, form a large screen in a drawing-room, sufficiently dense to 

 divide conversation parties from each other; or several of them placed around the 

 walls of a room used for dancing, &c,, would form elegant ornaments. They would 

 alwavs impart a warm and summerish hue, and should thus be trained for every con- 

 servatory, as a back-ground or terminating view. No person of taste ever sees our 

 friend's fine specimen, without expressing a wish to possess just such another. 



The soil suited to this plant is a mixture of good garden mold and thoroughly 

 decayed leaves. Properly planted in this, the rapidity of the growth of the Giant Ivy 

 will be very satisfactory, whether in a parlor box, or against a wall or tree. We should, 

 however, remark that it will be best to take a well rooted plant from a pot ; the ivy 

 requiring a year at least to obtain a firm foundation in the earth, after which there is 

 scarcely any limit to its progress. 



The Giant Ivy has not been generally introduced in America ; but every one who 

 has coached through Ireland will retain vivid recollections of its eftects on the eye. 

 In our opinion it is one of the great points in the scenery, and helps materially to 

 give that beautiful island its designation of " Green isle of the ocean." We should 

 be glad to see it much more generally introduced around our mansions. Even in 

 cities a single ivy plant in a small garden, nmning over and clinging to an old tree or 

 the walls, is a perpetual enjoyment. Where no old tree exists, you can easily bring 

 to the spot most seen from the window a stump ten or twenty feet high, and plant it 

 for the purpose ; or employ a trellis, taking care in the latter case to tie up the new 

 growth regulai-ly. The ivy succeeds best in the open air when planted on the north 

 or northeast side of what it is intended to cover. If you have a coppice or a piece of 

 woods accessible to your country mansion, plant a few roots near the trees every 

 spring. They Avill sometimes run among the leaves on the ground, making a superb 

 appearance, and ever and anon will catch hold of the bark and run " high in air," 

 when you can but remark with admiration the different size and appearance of the 

 beautiful foliage ; that on the ground will be smaller and of a different hue from that 

 which has got up into, and rejoices in, more light and air. Sometimes, and in some 

 seasons of drouth and extreme cold, you may be unsuccessful ; and hence the hint is 

 given to persevere in successive spring plantings. You may as well recollect, too, 

 that ivy persists in not clinging to plastered walls. In some cases it may be coaxed 



