DECEMBER 277 



devote to other uses, and since they are here, 

 it is a matter of first importance to make them 

 agree with the more important part of the 

 place as best we can. A house needs the re- 

 fining and softening effect of creepers and 

 trailers almost as much as it needs a roof, and 

 there are happily so many to choose from that 

 no wall need be left to the barren ugliness of 

 plain brick or boards. For stone walls the 

 English ivy is by far the best cover, and there 

 is a climbing euonymus which is also ever- 

 green. The Japanese ampelopsis is the third 

 perfect adornment for brick or stone. It is 

 useless to try to grow it against wood, for 

 which the native grape, the Virginia creeper, 

 Hall's honeysuckle and wisterias are admirably 

 adapted. There is a papilionaceous trailer or 

 climber, the kudzu vine, which makes the most 

 surprising growth, and is entirely satisfactory. 

 The Dutchman's pipe is good, and better far is 

 the native bittersweet, which has the cleanest 

 possible habits. There is a wild solanum which 

 will cover a lattice with its pretty purple 

 flowers, and its clusters of brilliant red berries, 

 but it must not be used if there are children 

 about, who might be tempted to eat the glowing 



