Holly, Yew and Box 



for examples are to be found which have withstood 

 the severest winters experienced in England during 

 the last fifty years. The tree, under favourable 

 conditions, attains a height of 70 or 80 feet, with 

 a trunk 2 feet in diameter ; in England, however, 

 it forms but a small tree or large bush. The 

 leaves are larger than those of other Boxes, being 

 from ij to 2 inches long and f to nearly an inch 

 in width. They are of a rich green colour, 

 and thick and coriaceous in texture. The bark 

 of the young wood is green, whilst that of the 

 trunk and older branches is grey and deeply 

 marked. The wood is used for purposes similar 

 to those for which the wood of the " Common 

 Box " is of value, but it is said to be coarser and 

 less valuable. Large quantities are stated to be 

 exported from Constantinople. An illustration 

 is given of a specimen of this species growing at 

 Kew. Over sixty years ago Loudon mentions this 

 specimen as being 13 feet high and the largest 

 within ten miles of London ; it is now 22 J feet in 

 height, with a girth near the ground of 3 feet 

 3 inches, and at 3 feet above the ground 2 feet 

 5 \ inches. A fine example, 1 2 feet high and as far 

 through, may be seen in the ground at Ashton 

 Court, Bristol. 



B. Harlandi, Hance. A species sometimes 

 met with in gardens under the name of B. 

 chinensis. The latter name is, however, a 

 synonym of Simmondsia californica. B. Har- 



230 



