130 VINES 
An excellent way to assist a young plant in 
getting hold, is to strip off all the leaves with a 
pocket knife, toward spring. This greatly re- 
duces the transpiratory surface, and, therefore, 
the drain on the plant, and starts it off with 
renewed vigour. 
Generally speaking, the common ivy is one of 
the most useful vines we have. It is excellent 
for covering all kinds of supports, fences, and 
buildings, and it not only covers them, but also 
adds to such objects a tone and an effect lent by 
no other vine. Ivy is also used in ornamental 
bedding, and not infrequently in cemeteries, 
for covering graves. ‘This latter result is quickly 
accomplished, and if there be a cross or other 
monument at the head of the grave, the vine 
will soon climb over, and cover that also. Only 
recently I came across a perfect example of this 
sort of thing, where, in an old-fashioned grave- 
yard a little wooden cross had become a mass of 
the quiet, glossy, green foliage that so exquisitely 
chimes in with those, as well as many other 
surroundings. In training an ivy for such a 
purpose, the direction of the stem-growth should 
be determined and maintained by pinning down 
the shoots with small wooden pegs or wire 
hairpins. 
