TWO MEMBERS OF THE AMPELOPSIS FAMILY. 



\IKGINIA CREEPER AND BOSTON I\Y. 



[IE Virginia creeper, Ampi-l- 

 (i/'s/s quitiqiuft'liu , so bril- 

 liantly beautiTul in woods and 

 gardens until late in autumn, 

 is used for adornment in a 

 variety of ways. Indeed, it 

 is a question whether this 

 hardy, rampant-growing vine 

 cannot in most cases be em- 

 ployed with finer effect away 

 from buildings than against them. There are objections 

 to its use for covering painted wooden houses or veran- 

 das, in its inviting decay and refusing to cling readily ; 

 while if employed on brick and stone residences, it invites 

 the English sparrow in a way not tending to increase our 

 esteem for that cheerful little town-bird. For covering 

 rough or backyard buildings, such as barns, ice-houses 

 and sties, as well as walls and fences, it is most admirable 

 for here various objections that may be raised to its use 

 about the house or veranda can readily be overlooked. 



The Virginia creeper is best known as a beautiful build- 

 ing-draper, but we illustrate some other uses for which it is 

 finely adapted. Fig. i shows a simple, vine-covered col- 

 umn, formed by planting ampelopsis at the base of a dead 

 tree stump. If such a stump is lacking, any section of 

 tree-trunk that is covered with bark for the vine's roots 

 to strike into will answer the purpose, if set in the earth 

 about four feet deep. The advantage of the stump is, 

 that until their decay its roots brace it erectly, and the 

 erectness of such a column has 

 much to do with its beauty. 



The soil about the roots of the 

 stump must be made very rich 

 with old manure, using as much 

 as a bushel for each four vines 

 set, and incorporating it well with 

 the earth. From three to five 

 roots of ampelopsis should be set 

 at equal distances about the base 

 of the stump. Strong plants set 

 in such soil in spring should cover 

 the stump to the height of 15 feet 

 the first season. One special merit 

 of this vine is that it produces fine 

 effects in a very short time, 

 column such as is illustrated ii 

 parts a stately, dignified effect to a garden, and to pro- 

 duce it is one of the easiest exploits in gardening. 



Fig. 2 shows the use of the Virginia creeper for fes- 

 tooning trees on the lawn. Festoons of this character 

 are always pleasing, and are easily produced where there 

 are clear tree-trunks of some height, say 10 feet or up- 



FiG. I.— Pillar of Vir- 

 ginia CREEPER ON LAWN. 



wards, and not more than 40 feet apart. It is rarely that 

 we see such attempts at introducing garlands of green in 

 garden ornamentation, but we can assure our readers of 

 their beauty, both from an individual and a landscape 

 point of view. Still the excessive use of the festoon must 

 be guarded against. In planting the Virginia creeper for 

 this purpose, the same course may be pursued as in plant- 

 ing for a column, excepting that from one to three strong 

 set at each tree, in well-manured soil, will suffice. 



Festoons of Virginia creeper between trees. 



The support for the garlands between the trees should 

 be heavy galvanized wire. This should not encircle the 

 trees, but be attached to a band of iron so formed that it 

 can expand from one side, adapting itself to the growth 

 of the tree. 



One of the finest uses to which the Virginia creeper 

 can be put is the formation of screens in a garden where 

 these are needed. Fig 3 shows a screen separating the 

 back yard and stable from the street, in the case of a 

 home situated on a street corner, the view being from 

 the side street. The opening through the screen in the 

 form of an archway represents the approach to the stable. 

 For the support of the vines forming the screen, nothing 

 is better than coarse galvanized-wire netting, the kind in 

 extensive use for fine fence-making. If this material is 

 not convenient, then ordinary galvanized fence-wire, ex- 

 tended about five inches apart horizontally from post to 

 post, with some perpendicular wires reaching from bot- 

 tom to top, a foot or more apart and attached to the cross 

 ones, will answer. The posts of such a screen should be 

 not more than 8 feet apart, while 6 feet apart would be 

 better. Assuming that the screen need be so high as 12 

 or 15 feet, if posts of such a length above ground are not 

 readily procurable, then scantling can be spiked or bolted 

 against ordinary posts, to give the proper height. When 

 finished, the framework should have a scantling extend- 

 ing lengthwise along the top of the uprights to secure 

 shapeliness in the upper part of the screen. 



Vines that are to cover the screen should be set about 



