THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



543 



former, it may be that the Holl\- and Ivy are direct de- 

 scendants of Saturnahan times, anil came to Britain 

 ready-madt, as it were, with Christianity ; while, with 

 reganl to the latter, the decorations may he hnt the con- 

 tinuation of what was once universal throughout the land 

 in the days of the Druids. This, at any rate, would ac- 

 count for the use of Mistletoe in houses, while it is never 

 found in churches. Gav's assertion, though, wants ex- 

 planation. 



THE MISTLETOE 



]!v \\'n.L..\i<i> \. (1,1 1 1;. Illinois.* 



The traveler from a more northern region, who hap- 

 pens to journex iiitn nnr .Southern States after au- 

 tumn winds ha\-e stripped the leaves from the trees, is 

 likely to observe shortly after he has crossed the ( )hio 

 River or passed through the region in our country in 

 the same general latitude, and there is still more or less 

 green in the treetops. At first glance it appears as if, here 

 and there, groups of twigs had failed to conform to the 

 general condition of leaflessness and were still sporting 

 their summer verdure, but a second surve\- convinces him, 

 especially if he be botanically inclined, that he is getting 

 a view of that famous plant, the mistletoe. 



To most dwellers in the South, the mistletoe is no 

 raritw but to less accustomed eyes, these more or less 

 globular balls of green among the leafless branches are 

 likely to be of more interest. Though we no longer hold 

 the mistletoe in superstitious reverence as a protector 

 from witches, ghosts and demons, and have perhaps cause 

 to doubt its efficac\- in certain amusements of the winter 

 holida\s, wc ma\- still find its curious manner of growth 

 sufficient warrant for more than a iiassing interest in it. 



The common mistletoe, whether luiropean or .\nieri- 

 can, is really a shrub. I ml it always grows as a parasite 

 on some other wo<jdy plant. In Europe it has been found 

 on the walnut, poplar, linden, elm, locust, willow, ash, 

 thorn, pear, apple, mountain ash, oak and almond, as well 

 as upon various species of conifers, and in one instance, 

 at least, it has been found ])arasitic upon another plant 

 of its own kind. Our native plant is nearly as catholic 

 in its selection of hosts. P)Oth species are fond of trees 

 with soft, sappy bark and thrive best on such specimens. 

 The seeds are covered with a soft and exceedingly sticky 

 pulp which causes them to adhere tn the feet and bills 

 of birds that feed upon them, and this substance also 

 serves to attach them to the branches of other trees in 

 the proper position for growth. The cotyledons contain 

 chlorophyl and it is said that the .seed will not develop 

 unless it is exposed to the light, an aijparent provision of 

 nature to ensure that growth shall not commence until 

 the seed is advantageously situated. 



When the mistletoe begins to grow it sends a sucker- 

 like root, called a "sinker," into the soft tissues where 

 wood and bark meet in the body of its host, and takes 

 therefrom part of its nourishment. 'I'ln- fact that its 

 leaves are green shows that it is not wholly dependent 

 upon its host for food, but the green is of a yellowish 

 and sicklv hue and of itself ])roclaims the plant to be a 

 parasite. Since the trees jiarasitized by the mistletoe 

 annuallv add new layers of wood and Iiark to the trunk, 

 in the ordinar\' course of events the parasite would soon 

 be covered by the increasing bulk of the tree. The mistle- 

 toe, however, is too adroit to he so easily overcome, and 

 just as the encroaching wood threatens to bury it, side 



roots arc sent out which ])enetrate the bark lengthwise 

 of tile stem, and these send out new "sinkers." This 

 jirocess is repeated annually during the life of the plant 



The beliefs which were once associated with the mistle- 

 toe originated long before the dawn of history. The plant 

 held a prominent ]jlace in the Druid rites and was gathered 

 for their winter festivals by a white robed priest who cut 

 it with a golden knife. It was received in a white cloth ; 

 to let it touch the ground being counted disastrous. \\ hen 

 the priest had given it to the people it was hung up over 

 doors and in other i)laces about the house to keep off 

 evil. From its connection with such heathen rites, its 

 use was long forbidden by the Church. In .\orse myth- 

 ology, the blind Ilodur is fabled to have killed that dar- 

 ling of the gods, r.aldur, with a spear tijiijcd with mistle- 

 toe, it having been decreed at his birth that nothing that 

 grew on the earlii should harm him. The other gods 

 combined to bring Ualdur to life and the mistletoe was 

 ordered never to work harm again, to which it ;igreed, 

 provided it was not allowed to touch the e;irth. Thus we 

 still hang sprays of the plant high at ( hri>tin.is time as 

 an emblem of peace and good will. 



( )ur mistletoe is one of some four hundred species of 

 the Loranthaceae, most of which are found in the warmer 

 parts of the world. The flowers of our ])lant are small 

 and insignificant, lint several tropical s])ecies are more 

 fortunate in this res])ect, having brightly colored blos- 

 soms which are often six inches or more across. The 

 luiropean mistletoe is known to science as J'iA'uvi album, 

 while the .\merican plant is Phorodendrom flavescens. 

 .Ml the beliefs and customs which are connected with the 

 mistletoe by right belong to the luiropean species only, 

 but our |)lant is so like the overseas species that only the 

 scientist would notice the dilTerence. Its use at Christ- 

 mas time, therefore, mav go unchallenged, partly because 

 the scientist usually does not extend his investigations to 

 such untechnical matters as holiday merrymaking, and 

 parth because of the old proverb that "\\'hcn one has a 

 mind to do a thing, ;in\ excuse will answer." 



*K(litor Tlic Anicricdii Botanist. 



A (J hnstfiuis Gnrhind 



^ Ifr.RE oiuc zkVS a Maiden, who, all '.could alloT-i.', 



Was othcmnsc blameless of folly, 

 'I hat eouldn't tell holly from mistletoe-bough 

 Or mistletoe-berry from holly! 



^Iirix'li mice ■K'as a Garland with berries like f'carls 



ilt might have been tvisc to ignore it) : 

 The Maiden, ti'ho needed a ivreath for her curls. 

 Believed it icas holly — and irorc it. 



m 



1 1 liRB once 'cas a Youth, unaccustomed to look 



For Foolish and formal cccuses; 

 And still, ha'ing studied his botany book, 

 He knezi- all the plants and their uses. 



^ 



1 1 l-.RF. once tvas a nook on a shadouy stair; 



.-lad Maiden, and Garland of glory. 

 And youth zcere all present, but I Zi'asn't there. 

 So ho'M can I finish the story? 



Copyright Life Publisliitig Co. 



