rl a 
When the morning-glory finds just the support it 
needs, it lays hold of it, and twists about it, and then 
climbs upward with great satisfaction. 
I want you to watch this curious performance. It 
is sure to amuse you. The plant 
- . d 
seems to know so well what it is Z 
about, and it acts so sensibly when any 
it finds what it wants. 
But if it happens to meet a glass 
tube, or something too smooth to give 
it the help it needs, it slips off it, and 
seems almost as discouraged as a boy 
would be who fails in his attempt to 
climb a slippery tree or telegraph pole. ae 
The bean is another plant whose 
stem is not strong enough to hold it erect without help. 
But, unlike the morning-glory, the stem of 
the bean does not twist about the first 
stick it finds. Instead it sends out many 
shorter stems which do this work of reach- 
ing after and twining about some support. 
In this same way the pea is able to hold 
up its head in the world. 
Other plants are supported by their leaf- 
stalks. These twist about whatever sticks 
or branches they can find, and so prevent 
the plant from falling. The picture (Fig. 
124) shows you how the garden nightshade climbs by 
its leafstalk. The beautiful clematis clambers all over 
the roadside thicket in the same way. 
Fic. 124 
The English ivy and the poison ivy, as we have 
