284 



A FEW GOOD CLIMBERS AND CREEPERS. 



quite as evenly and regularly as though it had had 

 artificial training. 



Ainpclopsis bipinnata, commonly known as pepper 

 vine, and as Vitis bipinnata, by T(jrrey and Gray, a 

 native species, common in West Virginia, Ohio and 

 southward, is a free-growing hardy climbing plant, 

 of very graceful habit and beautiful foliage differing 

 from all the others of its class by reason of its much 

 divided leaves, blue green color, and free habit with 

 moderate growth. When properly trained, a plant 

 viewed from a distance might be mistaken for a 

 gigantic Lygodium scandens. To cover a veranda 

 it is by far the most desirable of the species. 



Akebia Quinata, a neat Japanese climber, is a 

 hardy vine of delicate appearance, rapid growth, 

 and suitable for large arbors or trellises, in sunny 

 or shady situations. It will twine around old trees, 

 completely covering the branches, from which it 

 will hang in graceful festoons. It is one of our ear- 

 liest flowering climbers ; the flowers are produced 

 in clusters, of a dark purplish-brown color, and are 

 very sweet-scented. In a light, rich soil, it will 

 grow to the height of 40 feet, and a growth of 15 

 feet in a single season is quite common. 



Aristolochia Sipho, or the Dutchman's Pipe, 

 is one of our most beautiful native climbing plants. 

 In habit, it is both a climber and twiner, and is, 

 therefore, unsuited for walls ; but its great heart- 

 shaped leaves, from seven to twelve inches in diam- 

 eter, borne with tropical luxuriance, make a finer 

 exhibition of massive foliage for covering verandas, 

 trellises or other artificial constructions than any- 

 thing else we know of. Not only is the foliage large, 

 clean and perfectly healthy, but it is entirely free 

 from insect enemies of all kinds — a consideration 

 of great importance in selecting plants for arbors or 

 verandas. Its flowers are extremely curious, being 

 the shape of a siphon or hook, with a long, pendent 

 pouch, of a yellowish-brown color, borne in May or 



PROTECTING 



During the eighth annual meeting of the Ameri- 

 can Forestry Congress (now The American Forestry 

 Association, a most decided improvement) held in 

 Philadelphia last October, resolutions were adopted 

 by which the Association voted to petition Con- 

 gress to pass an act withdrawing from sale the for- 

 est lands of the public domain until a commission, 

 appointed by the president, shall have made the 

 necessary examination and reported to Congress 

 what portion of the lands shall be kept perma- 

 nently in forests. 



The resolution also asks that the army be em- 



June. It is indigenous in the Middle States, climb- 

 ing to the tops of the tallest trees. For its perfect 

 development, it should have a deep, rich soil and a 

 moist situation. It grows equally well either in sun 

 or shade. 



The Wistaria. — Not the least pleasingly orna- 

 mental of this class of plants is the wistaria. While 

 \V. f}-utc'scens, with its lilac flowers in elegant ra- 

 cemes, is an old garden favorite in this country, IV. 

 sinensis is the finest and most popular of the genus 

 in European gardens, and has become a good deal 

 of a favorite in this country also. The typical form 

 has pale purple flowers ; but there is also a pure 

 white variety of great beauty, and another very fine 

 sort called IV. 7>iacroboirys, remarkable for its very 

 long racemes. For arbors, trellises and pagodas, 

 IV. sinensis is a very handsome ornamental plant, 

 and in southern and mild localities it may be grown 

 as a standard on the lawn, with an open trellis or 

 framework to support the branches. Any good rich 

 soil is suitable for wistarias, but they prefer those that 

 are light and warm, and delight in a sunny location. 



The Common Trumpet Creeper, Bignonia {Teco- 

 cotna) radicans, is a native plant of considerable 

 beauty and usefulness. It is a true creeper, with 

 long pinnate leaves, composed of from seven to eleven 

 leaflets. It adheres to the bark of trees and to walls 

 with the same tenacity as the Virginia Creeper, and 

 its growth is equally vigorous ; but its vigor tends 

 more to the top, so that the trunk and branches be- 

 come bare with age. The leaves appear late in the 

 spring, and are not brilliant in autumn. Its mag- 

 nificent trumpet-shaped flowers are from three to 

 four inches in length, born in immense clusters in 

 August and September, and are a lively orange 

 color. This plant is not fitted for small grounds, its 

 home being by the roadside, or on old trees, or in 

 groves that are not in themselves particularly pleas- 

 ing. C. L. Allen. 



THE FORESTS. 



ployed to protect the forests until the commission 

 referred to shall have reported. It is surprising to 

 note that this question excited opposition, while 

 perhaps other plans might have been introduced 

 which would have better accomplished the ends in 

 view. The step taken has the virtue of bringing the 

 power and wealth of the National Government to 

 bear on the carrying out of the proposed reform in 

 a most substantial manner. 



This in realty is the first concentrated movement 

 toward reform in this direction, and should be forced 

 to a successful issue. 



