THE IVY. 455 



surrounds this preserve, I saw our common pheasant roving 

 through its walks, with a confidence little inferior to that of our own 

 domestic poultry. As the evening closed in upon us, I observed 

 multitudes of the smaller birds resorting to the " ivy-mantled " trees, 

 in order to enjoy the proffered convenience of nocturnal rest and 

 safety. I have profited by what I saw in Tuscany, for on my 

 return to my native place, I began the cultivation of ivy with an 

 unsparing hand. 



There are two sorts of this ever-verdant plant. The one is 

 denominated English, the other Irish ivy. Both are exceedingly 

 graceful in their foliage ; but the first is by far the better bearer of 

 fruit. They will grow on any soil, save that of swamp. Whilst the 

 plant is on the ground, you have only to cover its long runners with 

 a little earth at intervals of four and five inches, and you will soon 

 have an abundant supply of ivy for ornament ; and for use, as far as 

 the^ birds are concerned. This is a surer way of obtaining plants, 

 than by cutting them at once from the climbing ivy. 



Ivy can only attain its greatest perfection through the intervention 

 of foreign bodies. It travels onward in a lowly state upon the 

 ground until it reaches some inclined or perpendicular object, up 

 which it ascends. In due time it then puts out lateral branches and 

 obtains a bole, as though it were a forest tree itself. Ivy derives no 

 nutriment from the timber tree to which it adheres. It merely 

 makes use of a tree or wall, as we ourselves do of a walking-stick, 

 when old age or infirmities tell us that we cannot do without it 

 Should an ancient wall and ivy come in contact, they are of great 

 assistance to each other. Dyer observed this on Grongar Hill : 



" Whose aged walls the ivy creeps, 

 And with her arms from falling keeps : 

 So, both a safety from the wind 

 In mutual dependence find." 



There can be no doubt as to the real source from whence ivy draws 

 life and vigour : from the ground alone its maintenance proceeds. 

 To be convinced of this, we have only to inspect it narrowly on a 

 living tree, and then pay the same attention to it upon a dead one, 

 or upon any stump deprived of vitality. Be our eye as keen as that 



