THE TRAVELLER'S JOY 125 



Beggar-brushes, and Snow-in-harvest, as well as the 

 more general Old Man's Beard. 



As our photomicrograph from a small stem shows, 

 Clematis has a large rounded pith ; and, like many- 

 other climbing plants, numerous large vessels in the 

 wood, in order, perhaps, that they should not all be so 

 closed in the bending of the stem as it twines as to 

 prevent the ascent of the sap. These large vessels 

 are unconsciously utilised by the village boy, who 

 smokes short lengths of these stems in lieu of 

 cigarettes, from which fact comes the name Smoke- 

 wood. The deep-seated origin of the secondary cork 

 on the stem throws off the bark in long untidy 

 strips, and contributes to the unkempt appearance 

 of the bush from autumn to spring by which it 

 Las earned its French name of Herbe aux gueitx, 

 i.e. Beggar-wort. Its stems certainly seem to bind 

 the hedgerows together, as is suggested by such 

 names as " Hag-rope " (hedge-rope), " Bindwith," and 

 "Withy wind," whether they are ever intentionally 

 used for su(;h a purpose by the husbandman 

 or not. 



As this shrub occurs both in Greece and in Italy 

 in a wild state, the name KXr^fiarlri'; (Klematitis), used 

 by Theophrastus, may have originally been applied 

 to it, though, no doubt, referring also to its allied 

 species. Of these there are three in Greece and 

 seven in Italy. As the name is no doubt derived 

 from /cXrjfMa, a vine-twig, it is applicable to all of 

 them, and may well have been also extended in a 

 pre-scientific age to the wild Vine, and even to the 

 Bryony. M. Dumolin, indeed, in his " Flore Poetique 



