CLASS V. ORDER I.] HEDERA. 331 



ever, did they use it as an external decoration, but its juice, they say, 

 dissipated the effects of too great potations of their generous wine. 

 We do not, however, find that it has this properly. The leaves have 

 little or no smell, but a very nauseous taste, possessing stimu- 

 lating properties, with a somewhat purgative effect ; they were 

 formerly applied to ulcers, and are at the present time, by the country 

 people, as well as it was formerly used to increase the discharge of 

 issues. The berries are bitter, purgative, and also emetic; they are 

 not now used, but are the favourite food of some kinds of birds during 

 the winter season. 



Ivy is now chiefly valued as an ornamental evergreen, of which 

 there are numerous varieties; some with variegated leaves, others with 

 very large green lobed ones : and no plant is more useful than it is for 

 covering old walls, mouldering ruins, or rugged rock work, since it 

 will flourish well in the poorest soil, in shady situations, or twisting its 

 pliant arms around the withered limbs of the patriarchal oak, holds 

 fast its mouldering fragments, with seeming filial solicitude, and re- 

 joices in making gay with its ever-shining leaves the tottering head of 

 the grey grown monarch of the forest; and o'ten, too, do we see it 

 mounting over the shattered ruins of battlements and towers, clinging 

 to and holding in its grasp the very fragments. Byron in his Childe 

 Harold, speaking of the tomb of Cecilia Metella, says, 



" There is a stern round tower of other days, 

 Firm as a fortress, with its fence of stone, 

 Such as an army's baffled strength delays. 

 Standing with half its battlements alone. 

 And with two thousand years of ivy grown, 



The garland of eternity, %vhere w'ave 

 The green leaves over all by time o'erthrown ; — 

 What was this tower ot strength ? within its cave, 

 What treasures lay so lock'd, so hid ?— A woman's grave." 



From the stem of the ivy there exudes a juice of a resinous cha- 

 racter, called Gummi hedcrce. It may be obtained in small quantities 

 in this country, but is imported from warmer climates, particularly the 

 East Indies. It is brought over in hard compact masses, of a brownish 

 colour, reddish outside, paler within ; it has an agreeable smell, and 

 astringent taste. It is seldom or never used in the practice of the 

 present day ; it possesses astringent and slight anti-spasmodic virtues. 



The root-like processes, which are abundantly sent out from the 

 stems, and by which the plant clings to objects, and supports its long 

 slender branches, is one of the many instances of the admirable manner 

 in which this is accomplished in climbing plants ; and the observer of 

 nature will find that even in these appendages to plants, there is much 

 that is curious in their structure. They are very variously formed, but 

 all equally perfect in accomplishing the purpose for which they were 

 VOL, I. 2 X 



