116 
learned already, climb by the help of roots which their 
stems send out into the trunks of trees and the crevices 
of buildings. 
The stems of the Virginia creeper and of the Japa- 
nese ivy give birth to smaller stems, such as you see in 
the picture below. When the tips of these reach the wall, 
or the tree trunk up which the plant is trying to climb, 
they broaden out into little flat, round plates, which, 
like tiny claws, cling to the surface (Fig. 125). 
I hope your teacher will tell you where you can find 
one of these two plants, for in the country 
the creeper is plentiful, and the Japanese ivy 
is planted freely in our cities; and [I hope 
you will go and see how firmly these little 
flattened stems cling to the wall or to the 
tree trunk. Try gently to pull off one of 
these determined little stems, and I think 
you will admire it for its firm grip. 
There are other than climbing plants 
PIG. -125 
whose stems are not strong enough to stand 
up straight without help. 
Think of the beautiful water lily. If you have ever 
spent a morning in a boat (as I hope you have, for it is 
a delightful way to spend a morning) hunting water 
lilies, you will remember that these flowers float on top 
of the water; and when you reach over to pick them, 
you find the tall flower stems standing quite erect in 
the water. . 
But what happened when you broke them off, and 
held them in your hand? 
Why, these long stems proved to have no strength at 
