Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-22

TN the course of the years the RAM
bier has written of the vine
grown houses of Washington and
x in the time that these sketches
and "reminiscences have been appearing
in The Star he has published pictures
of many of these houses.
The wires of the capital are not so
noteworthy as the trees. but the vine
growth of Washington is at least not
able A long time ago the Rambler
wrote: Washington is being overrun
with vines This bit of information
may be received by many persons with
a sense of wonder but it is a simple
statement of fact. If the vines That
grow in the National Capital could
be untangled and spun in one green
thread, that thread could be Topped
and festooned around the world. The
remarkable increase i'll vine growth in
Washington is so conspicuous that 1T
has not escaped the attention of many
persons who do not know pine tree
from an oak. If the present. rate or
vine culture is maintained. there Will
be, a quarter of century hence
scarcely q bare wall in the city.
= x
prophecy and though the vines have
done their best to trim the town with
green. they have been prevented
through no fault of theirs. 1t is not
that they lacked industry the am
bition to climb. 1t they could have
their way they would weave wreath
around every home in the city. To a
vine a bare wall is thing to be hid
den from! the sight of man. But vines
like men. cannot all have their own
way. and cannot always follow theif
bent and sweet will. Old houses on
which vines have lavlshed years ot
growth and labor are torn down that
new and vineless houses may De ouiis
in their place.
Perhaps the vine feels sad that so
much OF its work and care have peeh
spent on such an unfortunate mouse,
but undaunteG and undiscouraged II
will proceed at once to the work OF en-
bracing the new house with us green
cry and charm. Here and there house
holder will cut away vine. 1t may
seem a heartless thing to do after a
vine has crawled and grlpped ana
climbed for years TO add beauty 70 tne
house. but there are men VINO VIII
throw down a good friend even if it
happens to be a vine.
Then. it mas be that some vines be-
come too familiar, even on long ac-
auantance and that they put on airs
and leaves and tendrils as though they
own the property, foc it may he true
with vines it is with many persons
that give them an inch and they Will
take an ELL it is found necessary TO
trim such vines and by the use OF
shears for a cruel knife to make them
know their place. Some vines are
known to be so selfish that they Will
refuse to give the house which sup
ports them place in the sun. 1t mas
been charged against them that they
appropriate to their own use all the
sunshine and give back nothlns put
shadow. If one were to tell the whole
truth about some vines it might be
said that they cast gloom over the
house if allowed to pursue their course
without restraint.
But, whatever it's shortcomings or
its ANNOUNCEMENTS may be. the vines
of Washington have out-thrived-or
perhaps it should be written out
thriven"-any green bay tree that ever
throve. Ivy in Washington is not con-
tent when it "creepeth DER ruins old
but will find right choice food" and "a
merry meal I ween," not in "its cell
SO lone and cold" but it will go after
a new brick wall with relish.
However. ivy and social aspirants are
not the only climbers in Washington.
There are wistaria and clematis that
climb by means of leaf tendrils, the
trumpet vine which climbs by means
of root tendrils like the ivy. Virginia
creeper that climbs by branch tendrils,
grape, smilax. honeysuckle, grandilla,
hop. the vetches, morning glory, moon
vine and many kinds of roses.
The vine which covers the greatest
wall space in Washington is the
"southsde IVY" or Ampelopsis Veitchii,
vine which climbing for untold CEN
turtles in China and Japan was intro
duced into England, where it entered
into competition with English ivy and
managed to get it's share of wall space.
Many years ago. that is, considerably
over half century ago, cutting of
this vine was brought to Washington
by the late William Z. Smith. then
superintendent of the Botonic Garden.
He brought the cutting from the town
of Slough. place not far from Wind
scr Castle. That vine is growing in
the Botanic Garden and the Rambler
has written its life story and has
taken its picture. A countless number
of cuttings and millions of packages of
seed have been taken from this vener-
able vine and sent Throughout the
United States 1t is probably the an
cestral vine of all the southside ivy
vines in Washington and of millions
upon millions of such vines that are