The Canadian Horticulturist. 441 



VINES ON DWELLINGS. 



HEN selecting vines to plant alongside of a house or fence, it 

 must be remembered that there are two distinct classes of them: 

 One class contains those that need a trellis or something to sup- 

 port them as they twine ; the other, those clinging to whatever 

 they touch, just as the well-known English ivy does. The latter 

 kind is usually called self-climbers, because of requiring no assist- 

 ance to climb. Therefore, for planting alongside of houses or 

 close fences, these self-climbers must be selected. Fortunately, the variety in 

 this class is a large one, and some of the best of them will be mentioned. The 

 Virginia creeper is worthy of early mention. It is one of the best known of all 

 vines, to a great extent because of its beautiful foliage in autumn time. It is 

 not, however, just the vine for a dwelling house, because of its twiggy growth. 

 It becomes too bushy for neatness. It seems much more in place about car- 

 riage houses or similar buildings. The twiggy growth spoken of affords room 

 for English sparrows to build their nests. To some this would be a recom- 

 mendation, but to the majority of persons it would be the opposite. In another 

 member of this family, which comes from Japan, the Ampelopsis Veitchii, and 

 called Japan ivy, there is a vine unequalled for the purpose. If quick growth, 

 shining green,beautiful foliage, brilliant colored leaves in the fall count, it is far 

 ahead of all other vines, when there is to be considered the tenacity with which 

 it clings to a wall, be it ever so smooth. It is simply impossible to tear it away. 

 Having mentioned about the Virginia creeper harboring sparrows, it must be 

 said of this one that it is impossible for a bird to build in it. There is nothing 

 but the stems against the wall and the projecting leaves therefrom. The well- 

 known Trumpet vine is another good clinging one. Give it a coarse wall or a 

 decaying tree to ascend and it is in its element, and what a gorgeous display its 

 large, brilliant, trumpet-shaped flowers are in July and August. There are three 

 colors, red, crimson, and orange. The European ivy exist in several varieties. 

 The English is the most common, but there is a small leaved sort from Russia 

 which may be hardier. About Philadelphia there are many houses which have 

 their northern or eastern sides well covered with ivy. On the sunny side it gets 

 destroyed in severe winters. It is evergreen, of course. There is a Euonymus 

 which is evergreen, and which climbs as ivy does. Its foliage is very small and 

 the vine grows slowly. It seems hardly suited for house planting, but for cov- 

 ering small buildings or for trees it is of value. There are three other vines, 

 all of them new or rare, which may come to be much used. Schizophragma is 

 one, and Hydrangea Scandens is the other. Both have been called climbing 

 hydrangea, though to the latter the name properly belongs. This climbing 

 hydrangea, bears heads of flowers as the well-known shrubs of this name do, 

 though not equal in beauty to the best of them. But it is a grand vine where a 



