THE VINES OF THE FARM 287 
growth, and all show a marked capacity for keeping their 
heads out to the light. 
Our wild vines vary in habit according to the form and 
habits of the plants that furnish them support. As there are 
trees and tall shrubs and low shrubs in every woodland, so 
there are high-climbing and intermediate and low-growing 
vines. The vines that are able to ascend to the crowns of the 
forest are all woody climbers, having perennial stems. They 
have two sorts of climbing apparatus. Wild grape and 
Virginia creeper climb by means of tendrils; poison ivy and 
trumpet-vine, by means of root-like holdfasts which pene- 
trate the bark of supporting trees. ‘These are the vines that 
furnish the principal draperies of our forests; that garland 
with inimitable grace the old bare trunks; that spread 
incomparably beautiful leaf mosaics over walls and fences and 
over the crowns of small trees; and that fling out banners of 
brilliant hues in autumn. They often smother the lesser 
spreading trees under their dense leafage, and in killing them, 
destroy their own support. 
Of these tall vines, the wild grape has the longest reach. 
Its annual shoots often attain a length of twenty feet. These 
are equipped with long and strong tendrils that coil tightly 
about any suitable small support. Once firmly attached, 
they seem able to withstand the driving of a hurricane. 
Failing to find support, the shoots hang pendant, like 
streamers, in the air. The Virginia creeper likewise wraps 
its tendrils about twigs, but it also inserts their tips into 
crevices, and then expands them into attachment discs. 
By means of these, it is able to ascend bare trunks, as do the 
vines with holdfasts, or to cling to the vertical face of a stone 
wall, holding on with delicate but unyielding grasp. 
The vines that reach the level of the tops of the largest 
shrubs are mainly twiners. .They ascend the shrubs by 
twining their slender stems about them. The bittersweet 
