SEPTEMBER 183 



ingenious. That it is successful is evident 

 from its abundance. Unless relentlessly 

 weeded out by man, it covers our fence- 

 posts, climbs the trunks of our trees, and 

 clambers about our road-sides. 



ITS GOOD POINTS 



The truth is, poison ivy has the qualities 

 that win in life's race. For one thing, it 

 knows how to take advantage of the labors 

 of others. The vital, active work of the 

 plants is done by their foliage. Their stems 

 exist almost for the sole purpose of holding 

 the leaves up into the air and sunlight. The 

 poison ivy has learned to put the least pos- 

 sible amount of material into its stem. It 

 uses the trunks of other trees or posts or 

 even walls to support itself, and thus saves 

 for making leaves the material that would 

 otherwise go to the stem. There is in this 

 a temptation and a danger to the plant that 

 it will learn to rob its involuntary assistant 

 of nourishment as well as of support by 

 sinking its roots into the tissues and stealing 

 sap. When once this process begins, de- 



