Ill, 



HOLLYHOCK HOLSTEIN. 



sometimes attains the height uf forty feet, with a 

 tnmk a foot in diameter. The leaves are undulated, 

 coriaceous, dentate, and spiny on the margin ; the 

 flowers, as in the rest of the genus, inconspicuous, 

 consisting of a four-toothed calyx, four petals, and as 

 many stamens ; and they are succeeded by rounded 

 berries containing four osseous seeds. The wood is 

 very hard, susceptible of a fine polish, and more 

 capable of receiving a black colour than any other ; 

 it i> used principally for veneering : the black lines 

 with which cubinet work is frequently ornamented, 

 in this country, are formed of this wood, died in the 

 coppers of the hatter. It is a good wood for turning, 

 for the cogs of wheels, and for the pulleys of vessels ; 

 hut for this latter purpose lignum vita: is preferable. 

 The European holly is very similar to the American 

 in size, appearance, and the qualities of the wood. 

 The /. vomitoria is a shrub, inhabiting the Southern 

 States from lat. 37 to the gulf of Mexico, bearing 

 smooth, elliptical and serrated leaves, an infusion of 

 wlii rli is taken like tea by the aborigines, who 

 ascribe to it extraordinary virtues, and are accus- 

 tomed to assemble every spring, with much cere- 

 mony, for the purpose of drinking it. It is tonic and 

 diuretic, and, in Large doses, purgative and emetic. 

 Three other species of ilex inhabit the southern parts 

 of the United States. From its retaining its foliage 

 during the winter, the holly is a very desirable tree 

 for shrubberies and ornamental planting. As a fence, 

 it is very serviceable ; and when formed into hedges, 

 it admits of being cropped, and retains its verdure 

 even through the severest winters. Its growth is 

 slow, but its duration is longer than that of most 

 other trees. In whiter, it affords shelter to birds, 

 and its berries supply them with food ; and in Corsica 

 they are used to make a liquor somewhat similar to 

 coffee. The bark is smooth, and replete with a 

 strong mucilaginous substance, from which birdlime 

 is made. Birdlime, it is well known, is used for 

 snaring small birds. Among the Romans, it was 

 customary to send boughs of holly to friends, with 

 new year's gifts, as emblematical of good wishes ; 

 and in England it is used to decorate houses at 

 Christmas. 



HOLLYHOCK (alt hern rosea) ; a malvaceous 

 plant, a native of the East, and very frequently cul- 

 tivated in gardens for the sake of its ornamental 

 spikes of large and beautiful flowers. The root is 

 biennial, and shoots up one or several very upright, 

 hairy stems, which attain the height of from five to 

 eight feet. The leaves are cordate at base, and 

 divided into from five to seven lobes. The flowers 

 are subsessile, rose-coloured, and situated in the 

 axils of the superior leaves, thus forming a long ter- 

 minal spike. From cultivation, many varieties have 

 arisen, bearing flowers, single or double, white, yel- 

 low, red, or even almost black. It is a hardy plant, 

 and easily re-produced from seed. 



HOLSTEIN ; a German duchy, bounded on the 

 north by Sleswick, on the east by the Baltic and the 

 duchy of Lauenburg, on the south and west separated 

 from the kingdom of Hanover by the river Elbe, 

 and washed by the North Sea. It contains 3285 

 square miles, with 362,300 inhabitants, mostly 

 Lutherans. A ridge of hills divides the country 

 from north to south, into two large inclined planes, 

 running down on one side to the Elbe and the North 

 sea, on the other to the Baltic. The descent towards 

 the Elbe is comparatively gradual, and on this side 

 several streams run from the highlands, most of 

 which empty into the Elbe ; as the Alster, the Pin- 

 nau, the Krukau, and the Stor. The part towards 

 the Baltic is more hilly, and there are only two 

 rivers worth mentioning, viz., the Schwentine and 

 the Trave. But the lakes are numerous, the princi- 



pal of which are the lakes Plon and Selent. On the 

 eastern declivity, there are some charming spots ; 

 e. g., the environs of Plon, Eutin, and Kiel. Nearly 

 all tlie country is fruitful, particularly the lowlands 

 on the Elbe and North sea, which begin about 

 twenty miles below Hamburg, and are ten miles 

 broad. But a great part of the land in the eastern 

 descent may now be compared to the above-men- 

 tioned lowlands, principally in consequence of the 

 use of marl. As for minerals, the country about 

 Oldeslohe contains salt and lime, but no metals. 

 The animal and vegetable productions are more im- 

 portant. Grain is almost always abundant. Manu- 

 factures are not produced in sufficient quantities to 

 meet the demand. Manufactures, therefore, toge- 

 ther with colonial products and wines, are among the 

 articles of importation. Grain, horses, black cattle, 

 butter, and peat are exported. The import and 

 export of products are very much facilitated by the 

 situation of the country on two seas, and would be 

 rendered even more easy by the increase of canals in 

 the country. Hamburg, lying on the borders of 

 Holstein, together with Altona and Lubeck, are 

 important markets for the consumption of domestic 

 products. The Greenland seal and whale fisheries 

 furnish many inhabitants of Holstein with profitable 

 employment. Holstein may be called a fortunate 

 country, for the necessaries of life cannot easily 

 fail, and are generally abundant. There are good 

 schools in the principal cities, and a university was 

 founded in Kiel, 1665. The seminary for instructors, 

 established in Kiel, 1780, has been of great service in 

 promoting general education. December 19, 1804, 

 bondage was abolished. The most important cities in 

 Holstein are, Altona ; Gluckstadt, a fortified city, the 

 seat of government, at the junction of the Elbe and 

 Stor, (the latter of which here forms a pretty good 

 harbour), containing 900 houses and 5200 inhabi- 

 tants, engaged in the Greenland seal and whale fish- 

 eries ; Rendsburg on the Eyder, at the termination of 

 the canal which connects the harbour of Kiel with 

 the Eyder, is an important fortress, containing 7500 

 inhabitants ; Kiel. Of less note are Segeberg, where 

 is a quarry of limestone, Oldeslohe, where are salt 

 springs, Plon, Itzehoe, Wilster, &c. The sovereign 

 is the king of Denmark : for the administration of 

 justice, the whole country, except the cities and the 

 estates of noblemen, is divided into districts, under 

 the jurisdiction of particular courts, from which an 

 appeal may be made to the college of justice, or su- 

 preme court at Gluckstadt, and from the seigneurial 

 courts to the district court, which is partly filled by 

 nobles ; an appeal to the king is still allowed in cer- 

 tain cases. The established religion is the evangeli- 

 cal Lutheran, but other religious sects are tolera- 

 ted ; and, for the purposes of ecclesiastical govern- 

 ment, the country is divided into eight provostships. 

 Each provostship lias a consistory, or spiritual court, 

 composed of several clergymen of the district, under 

 the supervision of the provost, which decides the 

 causes that come within its jurisdiction. From this 

 court an appeal may be made to the superior consis- 

 tory at Gluckstadt, or supreme court, composed of 

 the clergymen of Gluckstadt and the general super- 

 intendent. The provost superintends the churches 

 and schools of his district, and visits them twice a 

 year ; the superintendent does the same for the whole 

 country. 



The earliest history of Holstein is obscure. Charle- 

 magne conquered the Saxons who inhabited this coun- 

 try, and transported more than 10,000 families across 

 the Rhine into Flanders, Brabant, and Holland. 

 The emperor Lothaire erected Holstein and Storman 

 into a county. The contest between Denmark 

 and the ducal house of Gottorp was ended, 1773, by 



