CHAP. LIX. ARALIA CE&. HE/DERA. 1001 
been stuccoed, or smoothly plastered, no dilatation of the fibril is sufficient to 
cause the ivy to adhere; and hence, in such situations, it always falls down, 
either when rendered somewhat heavier by rain or snow, or when acted on by 
wind, Against such walls, therefore, trelliswork ought to be fixed; or the 
main shoots of the ivy may be nailed, like those of any other wall tree. 
To common brick or stonework, or the rough bark of trees, the fibrils adhere 
readily. In the crevices of rocks, and on the surface of the ground, they 
become roots ; but it is only when this is the case that they can afford any 
nourishment to the plant; a fact easily proved, by cutting through the stem of 
a plant of ivy at the foot of a wall or a tree, to which it may be attached ; 
when, it will be found, the ivy speedily dies. When ivy trails on the ground, 
. It roots into it, and grows vigorously, but rarely flowers; and in this state it 
has acquired the name of the barren, or creeping, ivy. When it climbs up 
trees, or is in any situation where it is much shaded, it seldom, if ever, 
flowers, until it has grown so high as to be subject to the direct influence of 
the sun. Hence, on branchy-headed trees, it is seldom seen in a flowering 
state, until it has reached their uppermost branches, and partially destroyed 
them. Ivy flowers soonest when grown against a wall, and fully exposed 
to the light. Whatever support it may have, when it has reached the summit 
the branches shorten, and become woody, forming themselves into large, 
shrubby, bushy heads; and the leaves become entire, taking more of an oval 
shape, and no longer being lobed like the lower ones. In this state, the 
plant will flower freely, and will continue growing like a shrub for many 
years, producing no leaves but such as are nearly oval, and showing no incli- 
nation to creep, or to throw out roots. Hence, we often see the appearance 
of an ivy hedge 5 ft. or 6 ft. in height on the top of an old ivied wall. The 
flowers of the ivy are of a yellowish or greenish white: they appear in the 
end of September, and continue expanded through the months of October 
and November: they are odoriferous, and contain a good deal of honey ; on 
which account they are much frequented by bees and other insects, to which 
they afford a valuable support, as they are in perfection at a time when there 
are few other flowers. The berries increase in size during the winter, are 
full formed in February, and ripe in April, furnishing food for wild pigeons, 
blackbirds, thrushes, &c., in the spring. When the berry is ripe, it is succu- 
lent with a purple juice; but afterwards it becomes coriaceous, dry, and 
shrivels into a somewhat five-angled figure ; thus beautifully harmonising with 
the lower leaves. The common ivy will grow to the tops of trees nearly 
100 ft. in height: but it is doubtful whether the Irish‘ivy will attain the same 
elevation, though it grows with much greater vigour than the common sort 
when young. Both varieties continue growing during winter ; and, in shady 
situations, throughout the year. Hence, rooted plants of Irish ivy, placed in 
good soil, at the base of a wall 10 ft. high, will reach its top in three years ; 
and those of the common ivy in five years; but after it has attained 15 ft. or 
20 ft., its growth is comparatively slow, unless it be against the warm walls 
of a dwelling-house ; when it will cover a gable-end, having chimney flues in it, 
in 5 or 6 years; a circumstance which may be turned to the greatest advan- 
tage in towns. The duration of the ivy is very great: judging from some of 
the plants against ruined castles and abbeys, we should suppose them to be 
two or three centuries old. The stems sometimes are found, in such situa- 
tions, 10 in. or 12 in, in diameter at 1 ft. from the ground. The seeds of ivy 
resemble swollen grains of wheat, and, as they pass through birds of the 
thrush family unaltered in shape, they are frequently found scattered on 
the ground. Ray, in his Catalogus Plantarum rariorum Anglie et Insularum 
adjacentium, says that hence have arisen the stories of wheat having been 
rained down. The chewed seeds have an acrimonious taste. The golden- 
leaved variety, when it thrives, is a splendid plant, appearing in spring, after 
it has made its new leaves, like an immense mass of yellow flowers. There is 
a plant of this variety on the back of one of the hot-houses in the Hammer- 
smith Nursery, which has reached the top of the wall, and covered a stack of 
