as one of
the prettiest we see. Its beautiful cut leaves are divided into five
lobes, which, when first developed, are of a bright light-green, while
the whole of the young stem and shoot is red; those take, by degrees,
a deeper hue of green, and early in the autumn assume a brilliant
scarlet tint, at which time they are very lovely. The means by which
this plant takes so firm a hold of whatever supports it, is highly
curious. From the stem of the tree is sent out on one side a leaf, and
exactly opposite to it a shining, thread-like tendril, tinged with
red, from one to one and a half inches long, dividing into five
branches, and each terminating in a little hook. When one of these
little hooks touches a wall, or comes in contact with anything it is
able to cling to, it begins to thicken, expands into a granulated mass
of a bright-red hue, loses the form of a hook and assumes that of a
club, from the edges of which club a thin membrane extends, and
attaches itself firmly to the wall after the manner of a sucker. If
all five of the extremities happen to touch, they all go through the
same process; and when all are spread out on the wall, each with its
extension complete, the tendril looks much like the foot of a bird;
but none of the hooks change in this way, unless they are so situated
as to be able to fix on the wall. One of these strong holdfasts occurs
at about every two inches on every stem and branch; and as a very
large proportion of them get hold of some substance or other, the vine
becomes more strongly fixed in its place than those which have been
nailed or otherwise artificially fastened; and if the wall on which it
climbs is at all rough, it must be very boisterous weather indeed that
can dislodge its pretty covering. If by any means a branch is forced
away from the wall, you will generally find either that it has brought
away a portion of the stucco with it, or else that the stems of the
tendril have broken, and left the sucker-like extremities still
adhering. The appearance of one of these tendrils when young is
beautiful; and if you place it under a microscope while it is assuming
its knobby form, you will admire its exquisite texture and colouring.
This, like the ivy, when it rises above the wall, becomes arborescent,
and ceases to throw out tendrils.

There are many other provisions for aiding plants in climbing. Some
ascend simply by means of the friction which the hairy or gummy
cuticle of their stems