WOOD-CRAFT. 51 



luxuriantly along our hedgerows, overtopping the 

 hedge itself, notwithstanding its unusually weak 

 stem ! A well-known genus of exotic plants is the 

 Smilax, whose name is derived from a word signifying 

 a scraper, in allusion to its stem being roughed 

 with curved prickles, by means of which it climbs, 

 grappling-iron fashion. Some species have managed 

 to develop a more highly organised and sensitive 

 vegetable contrivance as well, namely, the use of 

 tendrils. Various kinds of weak -stemmed Roses 

 possibly use their thorns to climb by, and by which 

 to keep their places among other plants. The Wild 

 Hop, in addition to its more natural and successful 

 habit of twining round other stronger plants, is not 

 without hooks, which appear to be a more recently 

 acquired mechanism. Several species of a genus of 

 plants notable for their climbing habits, the Cobcsas, 

 have horny hooks, and it is doubtful whether any 

 group of plants have become so highly specialised for 

 climbing as they. Only give them a rough wall-side, 

 and the tendrils will catch fast hold of the crevices, 

 and support the branches without any assistance, 

 except those of the more recently developed hooks. 



Twining appears to be the simplest and most 

 primitive method of climbing among plants. It 

 is due to the weak and rapidly -developing stem 

 growing a trifle faster on one side than the other — 

 just as a carpenter produces any degree of curl in 

 his shavings according as he presses his plane a 



