LETTER XLIV. 



THE TENDBIXS OF PLANTS — THE FUHPLE OP THE ANCIENTS — THE MARCH OF 

 THE ORCHIS. 



Hebe is a singular law whioli I have never known to be 

 infringed: among the climbing plants aU do not form the 

 spiral by which they embrace the tree or the treUis to which 

 they cling in the same manner. 



The convolvulus, which opens its beautiful bells of all 

 colours in the morning a little before day; the scarlet-runner, 

 with its brilliant flowers, which climbs to the tops of trees ; 

 the Wistaria, with its blue clusters, which covers my house — 

 form their spirals from left to right : whilst the honey- 

 suckle, my dear honeysuckle, as well as the hop, turn about 

 supporting trees from right to left, and that always without 

 exception. Never will a honeysuckle or a hop twine round 

 a tree by turning from left to right. Never will a convol- 

 vulus, or a scarlet-runner, or a Wistaria, climb by making 

 their spirals from right to left. 



s 



