124 THE HOLLY. 



THE HOLLY. 



BY W. 



BALTIMORE. 



Thk JforticuUarist, of late, has been bringing into public notice one of our 

 briglitest and most attractive evergreens, our own holly ; with its living green 

 leaves contrasted with its red berries, and, at times, when snow mantles the earth, 

 and the red peeps from under the white cover, what can be prettier ! 



I have devoted particular attention for some years to this tree. I obtained 

 thera from the flat portions of our State, adjacent to the Chesapeake. I removed 

 in March, six years since, half a dozen without any particular care, not even 

 covering the roots, a day elapsing from the time they were dug until they were 

 set in a nursery, on the north side of the barn, where but little sun reached them. 

 All of these died save one of the finest looking, which was removed in a year to 

 its present position on the lawn, where it is much admired, particularly at this 

 season, as it luckily is a bearer of berries. The following autumn, with four 

 boxes, about two feet square, I went into the woods and transplanted four fine 

 hollies, one into each box. Towards spring two died, and in April I carefully 

 took the sides out of the boxes and set out the remaining two, with the earth ad- 

 hering, on the lawn ; one died in the summer, the other still lives and flourishes, 

 though not a berry bearer. Again in August I had a dozen young plants, from 

 six to twelve inches in height, taken from the wood and planted at once, closely 

 in a Ijox. As soon as received, they were planted in the nursery, well watered 

 and mulched ; here they remained for three years, and last SejUember six were 

 removed, with balls of earth, and set out on the lawn. I have still four small ones 

 in the nursery, losing only two of the lot ; these young i)lants have grown well 

 for hollies. 



In the month of June of last year, I selected ten fine trees, from four to seven 

 feet high, growing on the edge of a thick pine forest, and after trimming the 

 branches where they were out of shape, had the lateral and tap roots carefully cut 

 with a sharp spade, and left the trees just as they stood, intending to remove them 

 last fall, but was prevented from doing so, and will take them up in the spring ; 

 by which time, two years having elapsed, they will have formed a mass of fibrous 

 roots, to which the soil will attach itself whilst they are being moved. On ex- 

 amining them a year after they had been thus severely dealt with, I found but one 

 had died. This would appear to be the best method to pursue in moving this 

 tree. 



I will hereafter give you my experience with reference to these. Of course, it 

 is very advisable to select such trees for removal from the forest, as have been 

 most exposed to the sun. 



I have always been successful with my rose and heliotrope cuttings, ma 



