By Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq, 231 



Irish Ivy. Both have risen considerably above the top of the 

 wall, which is thirteen feet high ; and the Rose tree, of which 

 the stem is wholly covered by the branches and foliage of the 

 Ivy, has annually produced more abundant flowers, and ex- 

 hibited symptoms of more luxuriant health, than any other 

 tree of the same kind in my possession. The soil in which 

 it grows is poor and unfavourable ; and I am unable to dis- 

 cover any cause, except the protection it receives, from which 

 it has derived its luxuriant health and growth. 



Ivy is generally, I believe, known to Gardeners as a creep- 

 ing dependant plant only : but when the trees have acquired 

 a considerable age, and have produced fruit-bearing branches, 

 these exhibit an independant form of growth, which they re- 

 tain when detached, and afford very hardy evergreen shrubs 

 of low stature. If these were intermixed with plants of the 

 more delicate varieties of the Chinese Rose, or other low de- 

 ciduous and somewhat tender flowering shrubs, so that the 

 stems of the latter would be covered in the winter, whilst 

 their foliage would be fully exposed to the light in sum- 

 mer, I think it probable that those might be successfully cul- 

 tivated in situations where they would perish without such 

 protection : and the evergreen foliage of the Ivy plants in 

 winter would be generally thought ornamental. Detached 

 fruit-bearing branches of Ivy readily emit roots, and the re- 

 quisite kind of plants would therefore be easily obtained. 



