EVERGREEN VINES 129 
is not known. I have grown it for many years 
on the north wall of a residence; also on the wall 
of a greenhouse range, where its solid mass of 
deep, green foliage lends life to the garden all 
winter, although the leaves, exposed to drip 
from the overhanging gutter, do suffer. That 
is to say, they die by the time spring returns, 
when we must remove them to make room for 
the new growth. The old leaves are brushed 
off with a broom, or may be clipped off with a 
pair of hedge-shears in April, or as soon as the 
young growth opens, and in a week or ten days the 
wall once more presents to view a solid mantle of 
greenery. 
Many people fail in their efforts to grow the 
English ivy, because they do not have the patience 
to persist in getting the young shoots established. 
Although the roots may be hardy, the new growths 
are likely to winter-kill for the first two or three 
years; it is, therefore, well to give some protec- 
tion for, say, three years. This can be done by 
mulching the ground well and covering the tops 
so as to exclude the light, but not the air. I do 
not like the idea of covering vines with straw 
matting or burlap, but a few pine boughs stuck up 
in front of them on the south side will do much 
in the way of helping to establish the plants. 
