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The Celastrus scandens — Wax Work, Climbing Bit- 

 tersweet, False Bittersweet, is a hardy woody vine, 

 common in our woods, and should be cultivated more 

 in the city. The leaves are medium sized, ovate ob- 

 long, finely serrate pointed. " The opening orange- 

 colored pods displaying the scarlet covering of the 

 seeds are very ornamental in autumn," and remain so 

 till the middle of winter. 



The Menispermum Canadense — Moon seed, Yellow 

 Ferrilla, is a handsome little twiner with smooth bark 

 and large pretty leaves, loves rich soil and shady places. 

 It is one of the modest little things that no one can 

 observe without admiring. It is common in thickets 

 in rich bottom land. The stem is smooth and slender. 

 It bears panicles of delicate little yellowish white flow- 

 ers in sumifier, and little round clusters of purple fruit 

 in autumn, but its chief beauty is its foliage. 



, The Clematis Virginiana — common Virgin's Bower, 

 is not uncommon in thickets around Peoria. This vine 

 is a little woody, but chiefl^y herbaceous; therefore dy- 

 ing back in winter, but each year throwing out a vig- 

 orous growth. It is a profuse bloomer, flowers white, 

 and the fruit plumous with conspicuous feathery tails 

 that are curious and ornamental. 



The Dioscorea villosa — Wild Yam, is the most el- 

 egant of our indigenous vines. It is the rare beauty 

 of our woods. No one can see it without admiring it. 

 It is a delicate herbaceous vine. It loves the thickets, 

 is modest and retiring. If it came from Japan it would 

 be esteemed and cultivated. It grows around us and 

 we scarcely know it. " Verily, a prophet is not with- 

 out honor save in his own country." It is the only 

 representative we have of the Dioscorea or Yam family. 

 It is an endogen with net-veined leaves, which is an 

 exception to the rule. The flowers are not conspicu- 



