2 1 6 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
except the single 3 ft. 2 in. wide bounding stage — 
the entire area is composed of solid beds. A main 
central walk is interestingly planted with palms 
and tree ferns and is the most striking feature of 
the house. Seven walks traverse the length of the 
house, each embowered with verdure from the tem- 
perate climes. 
Among the climbers employed to screen the 
wood work are, Mucuna macrobotrya, Solanum 
crispum, Cestrum Newalli, Semele androgyna, 
Lardizabala biternata, Asphanopetalum resinosum, 
Hydrangea altissima, Myrsiphyllum reticulatum, 
Plumbago capensis, Tacsonia tubiflora and Vol- 
xemia, Buddleia Madagascariensis, Bauhinia bry- 
oniaefolia, Acacia leprosa, Passiflora leprosa race- 
mosa, Geitonoplesium cymosum, Melianthus major, 
Actinidia volubilis, Muehlenbeckia complexa, 
Stenocarpus Cunninghami, Lapageria rosea and 
var. alba, Acacia decurrens, Agapetes variegata, 
Passiflora hybrida var. floribunda, Asparagus fal- 
catus, Hydrangea scandens, Melodimes Baueri, 
Smilax aspera var. maculata, Smilax aspera var. 
mauritanica, Jasminum subulatum, Acaciaechinula, 
Cobaea scandens, Smilax latifolia, Rosa gigantea, 
Tecoma capensis, Rubus molucanus, and Clianthus 
puniceus. Emil Mische. 
DESTROYING POISON VINE. 
The reference to poison ivy in the December 
number of PARK AND CEMETERY leads me to say that 
in the vicinity of Philadelphia it is one of the com- 
monest vines we have, and is to be found in many 
of our public parks, if not in some of our cemeteries. 
There really is but little help for this. Taking 
F'airmount Park, for example, the greater part of 
it, the Wissahickon valley, certainly, was natural 
woodland, and much of it in the same state today. 
The poison vine is there now as it was always, and 
this despite many attempts to keep it down. A 
large portion of the park, especially that which is 
much used, has been fairly cleaned of it. This vine 
is very tenacious of life, and this leads me to sug- 
gest, the best time of the year, in my opinion, to 
try to eradicate it. This time is in early spring, 
just as the leaves are fairly expanded. As is gen- 
erally understood, much of the true sap which the 
foliage of the previous year perfected is stored up 
in the roots for use in early spring. It is used in 
the formation of new foliage, and when this has 
been done the most of it is exhausted. The 
young leaves just expanded have not commenced to 
perfect sap, and if this vine, or any other plant, be 
cut down at that time, it receives very nearly its 
death blow. There may be a little supply of sap 
left in the roots, which will be employed to continue 
the struggle, but cut these off as soon as they ap- 
pear, and any others that may follow, and it is not 
likely there would be much trouble the following 
year. I think the vexing experience many have 
who try to kill this vine and fail, is because the 
work is not done at the right time, and because 
the second crop of shoots is not looked after. With 
many plants one chopping down is enough, but this 
vine is such a luxurious one that it usually calls for 
vigilance the whole season to get the better of it. 
It is better to try the clearance of a fair plot of 
it at a time than to attempt more than can be at- 
tended to. That it can be destroyed in the way 
suggested, there is no doubt at all. 
All trees and shrubs that it is desired to destroy 
are to be treated in the same way. It is the only 
season of the 
year in which it 
should be Hone. 
To cut them 
down aft e r the 
work of the 
leaves i s over 
is folly, as the 
roots are then 
supplied for 
their next seas- 
on’s work, and 
strong g r o w th 
results when spring comes to wake them to life. 
Some botanies make two species of the Poison 
Vine; one, Rhus radicans, and the other, R. toxico- 
dendron, but it is all one thing. The one which is 
met with in the bush form and not climbing, and 
which is the one the works call toxicodendron, is 
but a shrub because it has nothing to climb to, just 
as the Wistaria, the Trumpet Vine, and many an- 
other vine, become shrubs under similar conditions. 
Therefore this, the Poison Vine, Rhus radicans, 
and another rhus called Poison Ash, Rhus venenata, 
generally growing in swampy places, are the only 
poisonous ones of the whole family. Rhus venenata 
is a small tree, and one of pretty shape, but to touch 
its leaves or seeds is poisonous to the hand, just as 
is the Poison Vine. 
Leaving out these venomous fellows, there are 
left some beautiful species for lawn decoration. 
Rhustyphina, R. glabra and its cut leaved variety, 
lancinata, R. aromatica and R. trilobata can hardly 
be done without. The lovely scarlet “cones” of 
fruit on typhina and glabra would suffice, without 
the gorgeous display of their scarlet foliage in the 
fall. And it’s a pity that the Poison Vine is re- 
splendent in brilliant foliage at that time also, as it 
is this that tempts so many to handle it, much to the 
sorrow of those of them who “take poison,” as I do. 
Joseph Meehan. 
