VINES AND CLIMBING PLANTS. 
291 
rich and gorgeous colouring which they then assume. 
Numberless trees may be seen in the country by the road- 
side, and in the woods, thus decked in autumn in the bor- 
rowed glories of the Virginia Creeper ; but we particularly 
remember two, as being remarkably striking objects ; one, 
a wide-spread elm — the trunk and graceful diverging 
branches completely clad in scarlet by this beautiful vine, 
with which its own leaves harmonized well in their fine 
deep yellow dress ; the other, a tall and dense Cedar, 
through whose dark green boughs gleamed the rich colour- 
ing of the Virginia Creeper, like a half-concealed, though 
glowing fire. 
In the American forests nothing adds more to the beauty 
of an occasional tree, than the tall canopy of verdure with 
which it is often crowned by the wild Grape vine. There 
its tall stems wind themselves about until they reach the 
very summit of the tree, where they cluster it over, and 
bask their broad bright green foliage in the sunbeams. As 
if not content with this, they often completely overhang the 
head of the tree, falling like ample drapery around on every 
side, until they sweep the ground. We have seen very 
beautiful efiects produced in this way by the grape in its 
wild state, and it may easily be imitated. The delicious 
fragrance of these wild grape vines when in blossom, is 
unsurpassed in delicacy ; and we can compare it to nothing 
but the delightful perfume which exhales from a huge bed 
of Mignonette in full bloom. The Bittersweet, ( Celastrus 
scandens ,) is another well known climber, which ornaments 
our wild trees. Its foliage is very bright and shining, and 
the orange-coloured seed-vessels which burst open, and dis- 
play the crimson seeds in winter, are quite ornamental. It 
winds itself very closely around the stem, however, and we 
