IN THE TROPICAL GARDEN. 267 



weaker, and these, having once lost their places, 

 must ultimately die if left without assistance. 

 Then come the creeping and scrambling vines. 

 You thought to have a fine collection of bignonias 

 and convolvuli, so that humming-birds, bees, and 

 moths might be invited to the garden. Already 

 this effect has been produced, and sitting down in 

 the midst of the hum of insect life you think how 

 pleasant is the scene. You take care not to 

 disturb anything, but let the creepers wander at 

 their own sweet will to bring these winged visitors. 

 But the young trees do not find it quite so agree- 

 able. A mighty scrambler has reached forward 

 one extension after another until it has hung 

 a flowery pall over one of them, and is now 

 stretching out towards others. In vain does the 

 tree push its young branches through this covering, 

 they also are quickly hid, and if you do not come 

 to its assistance it will ultimately die. If it is an 

 ornamental flowering or fruit tree the effect of this 

 exclusion of sunlight soon shows itself in the 

 unhealthy appearance of the foliage, and the want 

 of flowers with their consequent fruit. 



If left alone these scramblers extend over the 

 whole garden, covering everything, and ultimately 

 killing all that come within their shade, except 

 perhaps the palms, which push through and throw 



