THE IVY. 



289 



thrust out the stones which constituted the facings, 

 and revealed the iniquity of the contractor. The 

 present proprietor is subjected to a heavy annual 

 expense in repairing the mischief done by a plant, 

 which, if the structure had been what it appeared 

 to be, would have added greatly to its strength 

 and durability. 



It has long been a disputed question, whether 

 Ivy growing against the side of a house renders it 

 damp or otherwise. Dr. Lindley thus pronounces 

 his opinion, formed from a comparison of various 

 conflicting statements made in the " Gardeners' 

 Chronicle : " ^* Ivy may render a house damp by 

 retaining snow in winter, which changes to water, 

 trickles down the walls, and never thoroughly eva- 

 porates. But this is of rare occurrence, and may 

 be prevented by beating the Ivy after snow-storms, 

 and will only be an inconvenience when houses 

 are built with mud. No doubt, when walls are 

 not of sound brickwork, or of some other hard 

 materials, the Ivy may introduce its roots into 

 the masonry, and thus do mischief, allowing water 

 to run down its branches and to follow them into 

 the crevices where they have insinuated them- 

 selves. But in all cases of well-built houses, we 

 are convinced that Ivy is beneficial, so far as 

 keeping the walls dry." 



When Ivy has mounted to the summit of its 

 support, its character and habit undergo a ma- 

 terial alteration ; it is no longer a climbing stem 

 with lobed leaves, but sends out erect branches 

 of tufted foliage and becomes a round-headed 

 bush. Neither roots nor tendrils are formed on 

 the stems ; and the dark, glossy leaves preserve 

 an even edge, unbroken by any indentation, but 



II. u 



