ORNAMENTAL CLIMBING PLANTS. 123 



A, Veitchii. It was found in the woods in Virginia. Mr. Ross 

 spoke of a wistaria, planted at the foot of a hickory' tree, which 

 did not grow for four years, but then started and grew to the top 

 of the tree. The wistaria is now about six inches in diameter, and 

 the hickory seven or eight. The former has coiled around the 

 latter and cut into it until the two are apparently one, but the 

 tree continues to bear nuts and the vine to bear flowers. 



Warren H. Manning said that there are two quite distinct varieties 

 of Ampelopsis quinquefolia ; one has grayish bark and the other 

 brownish ; one is provided with suckers and the other with ten- 

 drils. Vitis bipinriata has bluish berries, but is not quite hardy 

 here. Aristolochia tomentosa is sometimes sent out by nursery- 

 men instead of A. Si2)ho, which is a much better species. The 

 Menispermum or Moonseed is a very pretty small vine with a 

 roundish leaf. The Akebia quinata is one of our best vines, com- 

 ing out fresh and green in the spring. The Virginia creeper does 

 better at the seashore than any other vine ; indeed it does well 

 almost anywhere. He had seen an elm tree in Couciord having 

 the stem, which was quite tall, covered with Celastrus, and pre- 

 senting a very brilliant appearance in winter. 



Mr. Barker added to the climbing plants mentioned in the es- 

 say the Bignonia prcecox grandijlora. Plants four feet high had at 

 the end of every shoot a mass of flowers. He had seen Ampelopsis 

 Engelmanni growing on a pole taller than a man, and it clung to 

 the bark when that was stripped off. He spoke of the very beauti- 

 ful effect produced by training the Virginia creeper up the trunks 

 of a row of elm trees at Jamaica Plain, and then across from tree 

 to tree on ropes. 



Mr. Strong said that there are several varieties of Ampelopsis 

 quinquefolia^ one of which hus woolly leaves ; one has larger 

 leaves than others, and some do not change color in autumn. 



Mr. Ross said that at the Arnold Arboretum Mr. Dawson had 

 Virginia creepers with single stems trained to stakes and drooping 

 like a tree, and at Mr. Strong's he saw wistarias trained in this 

 way in flower. Mr. Wood has such a one with a stem nearly six 

 inches in diameter, and it is a very prettj- way to grow them. 



Mr. Strong said that when trained in this way wistarias ripen 

 more seed than when grown on trellises. 



Robert Manning warned those who might desire to cultivate the 

 Actinidia or Celastrus against getting barren plants. The former 



