lis COMMON IVY. 



There are different opinions as to whether 

 the ivy injures trees. When the woody stems 

 are hard and strong, it seems most probable 

 that they must do so, yet some botanists 

 think with Calder Campbell, who pleads for 

 the beautiful plant : — 



" Oh, falsely they accuse me, 



Who say I seek to check 

 The growing sapling's flourishing ; — 



I better love to deck 

 The dead or dying branches 



With all my living leaves. 

 'Tis for the old and Tvither'd tree, 



The Ivy garlands weaves." 



Sheep are fond of the Ivy, The soft wood 

 of its stem is used for giving a smooth edge 

 to knives, and the Highlanders make an oint- 

 ment from its leaves. Among the ancients 

 they formed the Poet's crown and the Baccha- 

 nalian wreath, and w^ere supposed to prevent 

 intoxication. In the Idylls of Theocritus our 

 Ivy is alluded to, but Virgil tells of the Golden 

 Ivy. There is little doubt that the plant of 

 the poet was the yellow-berried species now so 

 rare {Hedera chrpocarpum). 



