Crap. IV, VITACER, 149 
that when the main foot-stalk is pulled the strain is 
distributed equally between all the attached discs. 
For a few days after the attachment of the discs, the 
tendril remains weak and brittle, but it rapidly increases 
in thickness and acquires great strength. During the 
following winter it ceases to live, but adheres firmly in 
a dead state both to its own stem and to the surface of 
attachment. In the accompanying diagram (fig. 11.) 
we see the difference between a tendril (B) some weeks 
after its attachment to a wall, with one (A) from the 
same plant fully grown but unattached. That the 
change in the nature of the tissues, as well as the 
spiral contraction, are consequent on the formation of 
the discs, is well shown by any lateral branches which 
have not become attached ; for these in a week or two 
wither and drop off, in the same manner as does the 
whole tendril if unattached. The gain in strength 
and durability in a tendril after its attachment is 
something wonderful. There are tendrils now adhering 
to my house which are still strong, and have been 
exposed to the weather in a dead state for fourteen or 
fifteen years. One single lateral branchlet of a tendril, 
estimated to be at least ten years old, was still elastic 
and supported a weight of exactly two pounds. The 
whole tendril had five disc-bearing branches of equal 
thickness and apparently of equal strength; so that 
after having been exposed during ten years to the 
weather, it would probably have resisted a strain of 
ten pounds ! 
SAPINDACEZ.—Cardiospermum halicacabum.—In this 
