THE IVY. 



73 



The ivy which I planted many years ago 

 has now obtained a most luxuriant growth ; and, 

 if I may judge by what I see before my eyes, I 

 must conclude that ivy is noways detrimental 

 to the tree which has lent it a support. Having 

 given ivy to many trees and refused it to others 

 in the immediate vicinity, and on the same soil, 

 in order to have a good opportunity of making 

 a fair examination, I find, upon minute in. 

 spection of these several trees, that they are all 

 of fine growth, and in a most healthy state ; 

 those with ivy on them, and those without it, 

 not varying from each other in appearance 

 more than ordinary groups of forest trees are 

 wont to do. Neither is this to be wondered at 

 when we reflect that the ivy has its roots in the 

 ground itself, and that it does not ascend in 

 spiral progress round the bole and branches of 

 the tree ; its leading shoot is perpendicular* 

 Hence it is not in a position to compress inju- 

 riously the expansive powers of the tree, .propor- 

 tionally stronger than its own. Thus we find 

 that the ivy gradually gives way before them ; 

 so that, on removing the network (if it may be 

 so called) which the ivy has formed on the bole 

 of the tree, we find no indentations there. 



