HOLLY 155 



finger to the saving of the lives of those attacked by 

 deadly serpents or stung by scorpions. 



According to Bacon, in his Sylva Sylvarum, a.d. 1629, 

 " The Irrigation of the plane Tree by "Wine is reputed by 

 the Ancients to make it Fruitful! ; " though why one should 

 desire to make it fruitful, seeing that the fruit is of no 

 value, is not apparent. Bacon is, however, so far pleased 

 with the idea that he says, " It could be tried likewise with 

 Roots ; " though we could hardly fancy, at all events in these 

 days of agricultural depression, a farmer giving out to his 

 men two dozen of champagne for the turnips. " Vpon 

 Seeds it worketh no great Effects," he says ; a statement 

 that seems to imply that thus far he brought the matter 

 to the test of experiment, and that the results were not so 

 altogether and absolutely a failure as one would have 

 anticipated. 



HOLLY (Ilex Aquifolium) 



The evergreen Holly, clad in its bright deep green 

 and glossy foliage, and bedecked abundantly with brilliant 

 scarlet berries, is appreciated by all Nature-lovers as one 

 of our most beautiful trees ; while, in addition to this 

 inherent charm, there are the added associations that spring 

 from the part it plays in our Christmas observances, eccle- 

 siastical and social. Even before the days of Christianity we 

 find the Romans adorning their homes with holly and other 

 evergreen foliage, since the great feast in honour of Saturn 

 fell in the Winter season ; neighbour presenting to neighbour 

 great bunches of holly in token of good-will, thus 

 antedating in their religious worship and kindly greeting 

 something at least of the spirit of the glorious song of 



