l88s.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



343 



And their kindred Prinos", which are equally 

 handsome shrubs, some evergreen, and some de- 

 ciduous, of which there arc about a dozen native 

 species, all of which are much appreciated in 

 European collections. Those possessing most in- 

 terest for ornamental purposes, here, are P. glabra, 

 as pretty a little shrub as is grown, with P. verti- 

 cillatus, and P. Isvigatus. 



There is a general, though erroneous opinion 

 prevailing, that nothing is more difficult to suc- 

 cessfully transplant than the native Holly, I. 

 opaca. The want of success may, I think, in most 

 cases, be attributed to a lack of skill in the planter. 

 If, for instance, a sturdy looking bush of good 

 size and shape is found growing in shady thickets, 

 as they usually are, and is transferred to some 

 open space on the lawn, " where it will show 

 well," and there left in full foliage, it is a doomed 

 tree, and will soon be a ghost of what it once was, 

 when " a glorious holly, so glossy and green." 

 Now all this may be overcome by following Mr. 

 Meehan's advice, as given in the July Monthly 

 of 1878, which I quote in his own terse language, 

 for the benefit of whom it may concern : 



" The Holly has very sluggish roots, while its 

 evaporating powers through its leaves are enor- 

 mous. To be successful with transplanting 

 Hollies, we have to regulate these extremes, which 

 we do by cutting off the leaves in cases of doubt- 

 ful success. We have never known a case where 

 the leaves and half ripened wood were cut away, 

 that perfect success did not follow, &c." 



But as everybody knows who has given them 

 a trial, nursery-grown trees, several times trans- 

 planted, are much to be preferred, and are really 

 cheaper in the end, than those taken from the 

 woods ; and I would advise the planter to select 

 them personally, or by catalogue, from some re- 

 liable nursery. 



From what I consider the best nursery price 

 list in the country, I perceive I. cornuta, the very 

 handsome Japan Holly, one of the prettiest ever- 

 greens in cultivation, and perfectly hardy, with I. 

 opaca, may be had at very reasonable prices ; 

 and of such, I would recommend all tree admirers 

 to plant. 



Of the European kinds of Hollies, which form 

 such charming objects in the pleasure grounds, 

 parks and gardens there — and in England espe- 

 pecially — we must be content with seeing them 

 there, as they are too tender for this climate. 

 .And yet, I have no doubt they would, under favor- 

 able conditions, succeed in the South. When 

 grown in large pots or tubs, and housed in winter, 

 o be brought out for spring, summer and autumn 



use, there is hardly anything more effective or 

 beautiful, than variegated Hollies. Whoever has 

 seen good specimens of the silver variegated 

 Holly, I. latifolia, I. alba marginata, with the fol- 

 lowing named kinds, will have seen beautiful ob- 

 jects long to remember. To wit : I. argentea, the old 

 silver variety, and the exquisite I. argentea ele- 

 gantissima, with small creamy white foliage; I. 

 aurantia, bronze-leaved ; I. aurea marginata, with 

 broad golden margins ; I. versicolor, crimson and 

 gold variegation ; or the several green kinds, I. 

 atrovirens, very dark glossy green, and I. lauri- 

 folia,with long entire laurel-like leaves ; with many 

 more attractive kinds. 



However much we may admire them in these 

 latter days, we can hardly be said to love and 

 cherish them as did the people in earlier times. 

 According to Pliny, "Tibertus built the city of 

 Tibur near three Holly trees, over which he had 

 observed the flight of birds that pointed to the 

 spot, whereon the gods had fixed for its erection ; 

 and that these trees were standing in his own time, 

 and must, therefore, be upwards of 1200 years old. 

 He also tells us that there was a Holly tree then 

 growing near the Vatican in Rome, on which was 

 fixed a brass plate, with an inscription in ancient 

 Tuscan letters ; and that this tree was more than 

 Boo years older than Rome itself." He also men- 

 tions a magnificent one inTuscullum, with a trunk 

 of 35 feet in circumference. 



History also informs us that "the Holm, is the 

 ancient name of the Holy tree (since corrupted 

 into Holly), and was regarded by our ancestors as 

 such, probably, from its use with that of the Ivy 

 in decorating houses and churches, during the 

 holy time of Christmas. But from pagan Rome, 

 the custom seems to have been derived, of using 

 it in the annual festival of Saturnalia, which oc- 

 curred some time about Christmas." 



And it was the policy of the early fathers to 

 avoid shocking unnecessarily the prejudices of 

 their newly-made converts. They assimilated 

 the festivals of the Pagans and Christians as closely 

 as possible, to these outward forms. 



Of all legendary, or old historical trees, with the 

 exception of the oak, hawthorn and yew, none 

 possibly are invested with greater interest than the 

 Holly. Both writers of fact and fiction have long 

 made it famous. And, indeed, many are the sen- 

 timental subjects in which it appears, especially 

 when referring to the happy events Christmas 

 tide usually brings about. While in the rich and 

 quaint ballad lore of the ancient bards, as well as 

 the modern poets' rhymes, both berries and leaves 



