Holly, Yew and Box 



shrubs. In every instance the ground should be 

 well worked, and if very poor, good, loamy soil 

 ought to be introduced in order to give the plants 

 a good start. In the case of very heavy land it 

 is advisable to add good gritty sand during the 

 digging or trenching. Throughout the nursery 

 period, as has been previously stated, the stock 

 should be transplanted every second year ; and 

 even large specimens, that are intended for some 

 other position eventually, are in better condition 

 for transplanting if dug round every two or three 

 years and strong roots pruned back to a suitable 

 distance from the stem. As a rule it is advisable 

 to move the plants with a quantity of soil attached 

 to the roots, and with specimens of any great 

 size it may be said to be absolutely necessary ; 

 for, although now and then, a large specimen will 

 grow that has been removed without soil, the 

 chances are greatly against it. 



The correct time to transplant Hollies with 

 the minimum amount of soil, is either very early 

 in autumn, say the last week in August and 

 through September, or in late spring, the latter 

 end of April and May. At either of these times 

 the roots are very active and begin to work into 

 the new soil quickly, whereas if transplanting is 

 done in late autumn, winter, or very early spring, 

 the roots lie dormant for a long while and often 

 rot instead of grow, consequently no food 

 material is available to keep the plant going. In 



14 



