Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-17
Ghe Jrtt press.
NOTES ON THE FLORA OF vER-
MON'E-NIH.


written for the Free Press by Geo. II. Perkins
The soft, light greens of carly Spring grow
frmer and deeper as Summer draws near, the
hillside forest shows less variety in shade,
less mobile outlines, less delicate network OF
intcrlacing branches and becomes a: COM
pact, billowy mass of dark green's. The
delicious fascination which is peculiar
to the freshly opened buds unfolding leaves
and blossoms, TO the verdure undimmcd,
the brightness unsulied of carly Spring has
Joyful delights of the more mature beauty
of Summer and now the graceful drapcry Of
the vines hangs over tree and shrub.
ThCclinbing vines are none Of them ever
green, orr native vines mean, and very few Of
them belong among our Spring flowers. Inc
creeping ines, MS we have already noticed
in case of the Partridge berry, are some Of
them evergreen and flower carly, but the
larger vines, the climbers, aud it is these
alone that will be studied now, all of them
drop Their leaves in the fall and some lose
greater or less portion of their branches,
replacing them by larger ones next
year. The Purple Ccmais blooms here af-
ter the middle Of May; then follow in June,
tic Wild Grapes and the Bitterswect, but
not until the last of June, or later, are most
Of our vines in flower. Their finest develop
mcnl is not reached until August when they
constitute Que Of the greatest attractions of our
midsummer landscape. Climbers are cspc-
cially abundant where the growth of vegeta-
ton is Dense where everything must strug-
gle and crowd its way upward 10 reach the
light which the rapidly growing plants about
1t may hide Therefore vines are most
abundant and largest in the Tropics and they
are there often crowned by glory of flowers
that we never sec in our wild vines. They
have magnlicence not only in their exubcr-
ant growth, but also in the size and color of
tier flowers. Our colder climate does not
produce either so many or so snowy vines,
yet We have many that give us great enjoy
mcnt and they are all tie prctter and more
winsomc because they are less huge and
gorgeous than some of their relatives of
warmer Climcs.
There isin most vines something that is very
pleasing. Can we imagine how q GER
tain quantity Of woody fibre and Il certain
number oil leaves. of Il given form could pos
sibly be arranged so as to give us greater
satisfaction than they do in vine? 1t is
almost impossible for other plants to exhibit
the same number of enjoyable qualities as arc
respond most readily and delightedy to the
influence of n fine vine: il ia so buoy6nt 80
full of free, luxurious growth. never stiff and
awkward, but always sipuous in its outlines.
full of curves and coils. bends and twists. al
ways and of necessity beautiful because it is
vino. We might be stern in our sense of
justice and condemn the climbers because
they lean on their ncighbors when they
should stand in their own strength, but when
we see them growing. repayinr. often many
times. that upon whicl'thcy' seem indolcn,lv
to recline or about which they cling. by tbccy-
misitc adornment of their sWavin~ rorlopds.
our criticism is disarmed and we arc 1lad that
they crow lust AS they do. Ii is moi in.
doCncc nor even weakness that causes vines
to fail supinely when other nlnnts hold Them
selves erect. They are unable to sustain
themselves, but moi because of inherent lacl,
of yirOr. No ulants orc moro virornue in
none is growth force more ast0nishnrlv
manifested. but this force is in vines directed
more to the rapid frightening of the stem and
development OF leaves than TO the forma.
ton of strong and rigid trunk. There
arc 70 more marvellous foc,s in thc ontirn
history Of plant Growth tbnnthosc which have
been observed in the rapid increase in length
of some vines or in the rush of the san from
part to part and the consequent, bursting forth
of leaves and flowers. ms if Inv moric
Plants. as well as other natural objects
have their own mission in the economy Of
nature and different nlan,s have different
places to fill. Vines are NOT intended TO cv.
hiblt robust. stalwau. strength and indie
pendent growth. Their mission is n rcntlrr
one, they are TO give nracc and beauty
greater than would he pos,iblc without them
to tangled thickct or ragged shrubbcrv. MANY
vines do not imnrcss MS at all withihpir weak.
ness, bu, rather they seem In show most vigo-
rous growth, they romp over Tree anI shTnb
as il intoxicated by their own mower ot
growth and freedom from restraint rho
quick flow Of san throurh tIcir stems sorme
to thrill every cell and in sunrrobundant
vitality the branches run frnm hnsh IN hush
each striving TO Guido Lls fellow in fine race
In some vines. cspecinlIv some or The more
slender ones. il is touching 10 zee how ne
they crow they stretch ont thcr tcndrils mr.
the free ends of, their branches and swccn
them round and round in search of ,hc en-
port which thew must hravc If is nv n m Su
appeal for help-a silent nlpa for that which
if they do not find, they must fall hclnlcss ,o
the earth TO be torn and tramnlcd these
vines are Drvads held nv some evil en-
chantment from whose smell thcv vain
Nv seek to oscorc and ,,r,hi,,
hold out their arms TO every nosspr.bv tor he
help that never comes NS, nj vines How WV
ever, suggest such thoughts. Some are 90
full of snor,iye life and frolcsomn oroytI
that YOU can never believe them 10 hc held NV
any spell: they surely are under no bonnarc
they are frecst of the free. / do rot Inoyy
where among plants We could find less an
paront bondage TO law and order thop onn ~r
the climbers. aud vet both law and order hod
sway over them-cach hov;ng lie own Ia LU u,s
of growth, as any one NAV discover who
will read Mr.. Darwin's boo}, IN C2;,oS;no
Plants. | am sure that whocvcr roads liz
Look will always have n new in,eres, in The
class of plsuts and take new nlcosnre in
watching their growth -
How do these plants know that nv rovors
ing the usual order of growth that Nv which
ali parts of n plant t1rn toward Tie ,iaI,t