THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



VITIS. 927 



has a musky flavour, but by cultivation it has 

 been much improved, and numerous varieties 

 are grown in the United States. It often 

 ascends high trees in its own country and may 

 be planted in ours with this end in view. New 

 England to Minnesota and southwards. 



V. megaphylla.— A remarkable Chinese 

 vine with large cleft leaves, more like a shrubby 

 Aralia than a Mne. They are cut into many 

 widely-spread leaflets, measure 18 ins. by 12 

 at the base, their upper surface a dark green 

 changing to grey-green on the under side. 

 This handsome plant is of very strong growth, 

 quite young plants making shoots of lO feet or 

 more in a season. 



V. muralis ( Wall r/«^).— A name current 

 in this country and on the Continent, whilst 

 the same plant is known in America as Vitis 

 Englenianni. It is a distinct form of the Vir- 

 ginian Creeper, possessing leaves of the same 

 shape, only smaller and developing equally, or 

 even more, brilliant autumnal colours. This is 

 self-supporting, and will attach itself firmly 

 to, and climb to the tops of high walls— a useful 

 quality. 



V. quinquefolia {Virginian Creeper).— 

 This is better known as Ampelopsis quittqiie- 

 folia, its foliage changing in the fall of the 

 year to various shades of crimson, scarlet, and 

 purple. For covering arbours, walls, verandahs, 

 or old tree stumps there is no climber which 

 produces so luxuriant an effect in so short a 

 time. Several varieties are in cultivation, viz.. 

 Major, incisa, hirsuta. 



V. Romaneti. — It has large leaves, differ- 

 ing from all the Vines in cultivation (except 

 Spinovitis Davidi) in having the branches and 

 petioles covered with bristles or stout hairs. 



V. sinensis is allied to V. armata but 

 •diff"ers from it in its variable leaves, which, at 

 first simple, pass gradually to the compound 

 form as the shoots lengthen. It is a tall 

 vigorous climber of massive effect, with foliage 

 thickly clustered. 



Spinovitis Davidi is nearly allied to 

 V. Romaneti, having the same bristly or even 

 prickly character. Both this and V. Romaneti 

 assume purplish-red autumn tints. 



V. ThomSOni. — A pretty and neat-growing 

 ■species climbing by its tendrils, and of graceful 

 efi'ect upon pillars and pergolas. The leaves 

 are deeply cleft into five lobes and are of a red- 

 dish-green, rich purple on the under side. This 

 turnsto auniform crimson-purple in theautumn, 

 but a tendency to curl up rather spoils their 

 •effect at this season. 



v. Thunbergi, though near V. Coignetice, is 

 a little less exuberant in its growth ; it may be 

 used near the house, whereas Coignetice, in its 

 almost unruly luxuriance, is best among trees at 

 a greater distance. The dark green leaves often 

 measure a foot or more in each sense, and in 

 autumn they take the richest shades of yellow, 

 brown, crimson, and scarlet. Their greater 

 brilliance at this season, as well as their greater 

 size, helps to distinguish the plant from 

 Coignet's Mne. It is fully hardy and thrives 



in any good soil, but should not be overfed with 

 rich manure. 



V. Vinifera {Common Grape Vine).—Q)l 

 the numerous varieties of the common Grape 

 Vine the following may be alluded to : Piir- 

 ptirea. — This is one of the deepest purple- 

 foliaged plants we possess. Although the 

 colour becomes most intense in autumn the 

 leaves have a bronzy-purple tinge from the 

 first. Var. apiifolia is the Parsley- leaved 

 Vine. Its leaves are very deeply cut, fre- 

 quently into several leaflets, which are again 



Claiet LulourcJ \ 111 



deeply lobed. Besides these there are the 

 Miller's Grape, with smallish leaves covered 

 with white down, and the " Teinturier " 

 Grape, the leaves of which assume a beauti- 

 ful claret colour before they fall, and among 

 the large number of Vines grown in wine- 

 making countries there are many worth grow- 

 ing for the beauty of their leaves. 



Brief mention may be made of the following 

 Asiatic species : V. ficifolia, a distinct plant 

 with small round-lobed leaves like those of the 

 Fig ; V. aconitifolijis with leaves like the 

 Aconite ; V. Leeoides with leaves like a Leea ; 

 V. amnrensis with foliage of an intense crim- 

 son in autumn ; V. Delavayi with trifoliate 

 leaves and purple stems : and V. seriancefolia, 

 an interesting species of the Ampelopsis group. 



