25 



VIII. 



ILICINEiE. 



THE HOLLY. 



ILEX AQUIFOLIUM. 



The holly is truly described as the most 

 beautiful of our native evergreen trees. Its deep 

 green leaves, spinous and leathery, sometimes 

 blotched with yellow or white, and its scarlet 

 berries, make it a pleasing objedt anywhere; but 

 it shows to most advantage, perhaps, on a bright 

 winter's morning, among the dead brakes and 

 leafless deciduous trees. 



" And as when all the summer trees are seen 

 So bright and green, 

 The holly leaves their sober hues display 



Less bright than they, 

 But when the bare and wintry woods we see, 

 What then so cheerful as the Holly Tree ? " 



S out hey. 



The young upper leaves are often entire and 

 flat ; the tree thus dispenses with its armament 

 as proteftion to its growth becomes unnecessary. 

 This habit seems to be more common in trees 

 that are not kept trimmed. Southey makes a 



