VINES AND CREEPERS. 593 



by winding round and round objects with which they come in con- 

 tact. CUmbers rise by having tendrils which lay hold of twigs of 

 trees, or fix themselves in crevices, and support the vine till its 

 large arms have wreathed themselves upon some other support — 

 grape-vines, for instance — or without tendrils, by the mere force of 

 their growth overlying the branches of trees and finding support by 

 hanging over them, like the wild roses. Trailers are those which 

 prefer to creep upon the ground like the low vine blackberry. 



The Virginia Creeper. Ampelopsis virginiana.-^ Often called 

 the American ivy, though it has little resemblance to the true ivy 

 except in its power of adhesion to the bark of trees, and to walls, 

 and in the fact that it forms an equally luxuriant mass of foliage 

 upon them. The leaf is composed of five irregularly serrate leaf- 

 lets, radiating from a common point of intersection. These are 

 often, but not always, quite glossy on the upper surface. The vine 

 is furnished with tendrils which flatten out against the tree or wall 

 with which they come in contact, and become auxiliary roots, 

 attaching themselves firmly wherever they can find adequate sup- 

 port. Roots also break out from the stem of the vine where it 

 comes in contact with such objects. The growth of the Virginia 

 creeper is very rapid. We have seen the vines streaming from the 

 parapet of a church tower seventy feet high, within eight years after 

 being planted. On stone, or unpainted common brick, it forms a 

 thick mass of graceful verdure, covering every part, and pushing out 

 its young shoots in airy profusion from the body of the foliage. It 

 is by far the finest of vines in this country for covering walls where 

 it can take root, or for covering tree trunks ; but on brick walls that 

 are ordinarily smooth it needs some fastening in addition to that 

 which its own rootlets give it, to prevent the wind, which takes 

 strong hold of its waving branches, from detaching the entire vine. 

 In autumn the foliage turns to the brilliant crimson or purplish- 

 crimson that landscape painters rarely fail to make a conspicuous 

 feature in representations of American autumn scenery. The vine 

 is found wild everywhere in the States, and grows readily from 

 layers or cuttings. The flowers are greenish-purple, and incon- 

 spicuous ; fruit a purple berry, in large flat clusters. 

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