VINES AND CLIMBING PLANTS. 249 



but we particularly remember two, as being remarkably strik- 

 ing objects; one, a wide-spread elm — the trunk and grace- 

 ful diverging branches completely clad in scarlet by this 

 beautiful vine, with which its own leaves harmonized well 

 in their fine deep yellow dress; the other, a tall and dense 

 Cedar, through whose dark green boughs gleamed the rich 

 colouring of the Virginia Creeper, like a half-concealed, 

 though glowing fire. 



In the American forests nothing adds more to the beauty 

 of an occasional tree, than the tall canopy of verdure with 

 which it is often crowned by the wild Grape vine. There 

 its tall stems wind themselves about until they reach the 

 very summit of the tree, where they cluster it over, and 

 bask their broad bright green foliage in the sunbeams. As 

 if not content with this, they often completely overhang the 

 head of the tree, falling like ample drapery around on eve- 

 ry side, until they sweep the ground. We have seen very 

 beautiful effects produced in this way by the grape in its 

 wild state, and it may easily be imitated. The delicious 

 fragrance of these wild grape vines when in blossom, is 

 unsurpassed in delicacy ; and we can compare it to nothing 

 but the delightful perfume which exhales from a huge bed 

 of Mignonette in full bloom. The Bittersweet, [Celastrus 

 scandens,) is another well known climber, which ornaments 

 our wild trees. Its foliage is very bright and shining, and 

 the orange-coloured seed-vessels which burst open, and dis- 

 play the crimson seeds in winter, are quite ornamental. It 

 winds itself very closely around the stem, however, and we 

 have known it to strangle or compress the bodies of young 

 trees so tightly as to put an end to their growth. 



The Trumpet Creeper, [Bignonia radicans,) is a very 

 showy climbing plant. The stem is quite woody, and often 



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