Holly, Yew and Box 



conjunction with Mr Wise, wrote a book called 

 The Retired Gardener, in 1706, in which he 

 says, "We have great variety of Hollies in 

 England, and have brought them to more per- 

 fection than they are in any other part of the 

 world." 



About the middle of the last century Messrs 

 Loddiges are said to have grown seventy or 

 eighty varieties, whilst the names of Fisher and 

 Sibray, Lawson, Waterer, Paul and Cunningham 

 have all been renowned for Hollies in more 

 modern times. One of the most comprehensive 

 commercial collections in the country at the 

 present time is to be found in the Hands worth 

 Nursery of Messrs Fisher, Son and Sibray, 

 Sheffield, a great many original plants of varieties 

 introduced by the firm being on view. 



The National collection at Kew is a very fine 

 one, containing nearly all the best marked species, 

 varieties and hybrids. 



The fact of so many varieties having originated 

 so long ago makes it impossible to speak with 

 authority about their origin, though it is not 

 difficult to form a fairly circumstantial chain of 

 evidence to account for some of them. 



Distinct varieties that have originated directly 

 from I. Aquifolium, either as sports or chance 

 seedlings, are, apparently, comparatively few 

 in number, sub-varieties being much more 

 numerous. Of the direct breaks from the type 



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