FLORICULTURE 475 



Infinite purpose and perfection. The American ivy is likewise a 

 vine grown for its rich festoons of tangled branch-tips and dark 

 "fingered foliage," interspersing the varying tones of green between 

 the earlier and later leaves, while the multitudes of brown flower- 

 buds may redden the way in July, and the liberal supply of wide- 

 spreading berry-clusters in autumn are but incidents in the annual 

 life of the cherished vine. 



The pipewort is to be included in this class where the foliage is 

 first and last the leading element and the strangely-constructed even 

 fantastic "pipes" only heighten the interest in the dark-green foliage 

 among which the blossoms hang inconspicuously as objects of floral 

 wonderment. 



The hop, while it may be loaded with fruit of its own peculiar 

 making as the season closes, flings out no banner of bright color 

 \o catch the eye of passing insert, and therefore in its dark-green 

 dress should stand among those plant covers that gain their place 

 for foliage chiefly. The matrimony vine* brings us to a point in 

 the list where it is not quite so easy to decide, for it hangs full of 

 minute blossoms not seen by the unobserving, but fondly visited 

 by the industrious bees, and in early autumn all may notice the 

 orange-yellow berries like so many minute tomatoes that would need 

 much magnification to show the close resemblance. Besides it is 

 one of the first vines to sound the color note of spring. 



If the matrimony vine be admitted, then it is only a step to 

 the trumpet creeper, with its flowers lasting only for a short time in 

 midsummer, and serving to attract attention to the overflowing rich- 

 ness of the loose foliage as it falls as a spray from the eaves. It is 

 the sway and movement of the free vine tips, the rich texture and 

 deep color of the trumpet creeper as a climber that satisfies, and 

 not the scattered glove-finger corollas that only accentuate the quali- 

 ties of the verdure that strives to envelop them. 



The wistarias may become the bridge over which to pass from 

 the foliage to the floral side of our groups of subjects. These lofty, 

 aspiring climbers have a phase in their annual cycle when the 

 blossoms are, above all else, the most conspicuous. In May and 

 before, the compound leaves have scarcely thought of the growing 

 season, the flower buds have opened, and out of them come the giant 

 clusters like skillfully arranged pea blossoms in a leafless pendant of 

 surprising length, and hung in such profusion that it would seem 

 as if the gorgeotfs, exhausting work was overdone and further growth 

 of the ambitious vine would be impossible. But, before this solici- 

 tude has taken root the leaves unfold, and shortly the large rope- 

 like stems are covered with foliage half formed and of a light, warm 

 and tender hue. 



Along with such strong bloomers as the wistaria must be ar- 

 ranged roses, although the sequence of foliage and floral advents is 

 not the same. The colors in the rose are higher, as is red or crimson 

 above the lilac of the wistaria, and, as if thinking it would be too 

 strong a change from bare canes to the brilliancy of the "Balti- 

 more belle" or "crimson rambler" in full bloom, the rose first weaves 



* For illustration, see page 483. 



