9 2 AN ISLAND GARDEN 



nervous and agitated. The Sensitive Plant shivers 

 and droops its leaves at the slightest touch." 



Climbing plants show often a surprising degree 

 of intelligence, reaching out for support as if they 

 had eyes to see. I have known a vine whose head 

 was aimlessly waving in the wind, with nothing 

 near it to which it might cling, turn deliberately 

 round in an opposite direction to that in which it 

 had been growing and seize a line I had stretched 

 for it to grasp, without any help outside itself, and 

 within the space of an hour's time. By manifold 

 ways they cling and climb, many by winding their 

 stems round and round strings or sticks or wires, 

 or whatever is given them, as do the Morning- 

 glories, Hop, Honeysuckle, Wistarias, and many 

 others ; but Sweet Peas, Cobcea, and so forth, put 

 out a delicate tendril at the end of each leaf, or 

 rather group of leaves. Nasturtiums, Clematis, 

 and others take a turn with their leaf-stems round 

 anything that comes in their way, and so lift and 

 hold themselves securely, and the Echinocystus or 

 Wild Cucumber has a system of tendrils strong 

 as iron and elastic as India-rubber. It is most in- 

 teresting to observe them all and ponder on their 

 different charming ways and habits, to help them 

 if they need it, and to sympathize with all their 

 experiences. As I work among my flowers, I 

 find myself talking to them, reasoning and remon- 

 strating with them, and adoring them as if they 

 were human beings. Much laughter I provoke 

 among my friends by so doing, but that is of no 

 consequence. We are on such good terms, my 

 flowers and 1 1 



