72 ARISTOCRATS OF THE GARDEN 



changing in the autumn to scarlet and crimson. 

 Other good sorts are V. reticulata, V. betulifolia, V. 

 pentagona, V. Piasezkii with variously incised and 

 lobed leaves, V. flexuosa, var. parvifolia (commonly 

 known as var. Wilsonii) with small lustrous me- 

 tallic green leaves and V. Romanetii with bristly 

 shoots. 



Temperate North America is remarkably rich in 

 species of Vitis and in the Arnold Arboretum no 

 fewer than fourteen are perfectly hardy on the trel- 

 lises. All are good and it is not easy to make a selec- 

 tion. Among the handsomest are V. cinerea, V. 

 bicolor, and V. Doaniana. The first-named grows 

 wild on the river banks of the Mississippi Valley 

 from Illinois to Kansas and Texas. It is a most vig- 

 orous plant with leaves dark green above, ashy gray 

 below and, like the young shoots, clothed when they 

 unfold with a felt of gray hairs. The second species 

 is native of the northern and middle states and is 

 equally vigorous and has large deeply lobed leaves 

 which are dark green above and bluish green below. 

 The third is a comparatively new plant, native of the 

 Texas Panhandle but is quite hardy and fast growing 

 with large rather pale bluish-green leaves of very 

 firm texture. Other beautiful Vines are the Summer 

 Grape (V. aestivalis) with the leaves rusty-brown on 



