THE VINES OF THE FARM 



287 



growth, and all show a marked capacity for keeping their 

 heads out to the light. 



Our wild vines vary in habit according to the form and 

 habits of the plants that furnish them support. As there are 

 trees and tall shrubs and low shrubs in every woodland, so 

 there are high-climbing and intermediate and low-growing 

 vines. The vines that are able to ascend to the crowns of the 

 forest are all woody climbers, having perennial stems. They 

 have two sorts of climbing apparatus. Wild grape and 

 Virginia creeper climb by means of tendrils; poison i\'y and 

 trumpet-vine, by means of root-like holdfasts which pene- 

 trate the bark of supporting trees. These are the vines that 

 furnish the principal draperies of our forests; that garland 

 with inimitable grace the old bare trunks; that spread 

 incomparably beautiful leaf mosaics over walls and fences and 

 over the crowns of small trees; and that fling out banners of 

 brilliant hues in autumn. They often smother the lesser 

 spreading trees under their dense leafage, and in killing them, 

 destroy their own support. 



Of these tall vines, the wild grape has the longest reach. 

 Its annual shoots often attain a length of twenty feet. These 

 are equipped with long and strong tendrils that coil tightly 

 about any suitable small support. Once fimoly attached, 

 they seem able to withstand the driving of a hurricane. 

 Failing to find support, the shoots hang pendant, Hke 

 streamers, in the air. The Virginia creeper likewise wraps 

 its tendrils about twigs, but it also inserts their tips into 

 crevices, and then expands them into attachment discs. 

 By means of these, it is able to ascend bare trunks, as do the 

 vines with holdfasts, or to cling to the vertical face of a stone 

 wall, holding on with delicate but unyielding grasp. 



The vines that reach the level of the tops of the largest 

 shrubs are mainly twiners. They ascend the shrubs by 

 twining their slender stems about them. The bittersweet 



