Holly, Yew and Box 



but it fails to bring to light all that is of decora- 

 tive use about the trees. For instance, the effect 

 is greatly enhanced when almost every branch 

 is terminated by a panicle of white or pinkish 

 flowers ; or at another period when the orange 

 and scarlet, Strawberry-like fruits are ripe ; 

 but even these do not exhaust the interesting 

 features of the trees, for several possess the 

 peculiar habit of casting off their old bark each 

 year, and the quaint appearance of old and new 

 bark always attracts attention. 



The majority are of European origin, but one 

 species hails from America. All thrive in light 

 peaty soil, or, in fact, any lightish ground that 

 does not contain lime in any appreciable quantity. 

 They are increased by means of seeds or layers 

 and some of the varieties by grafting on to 

 stocks of A. Unedo. It is advisable to place 

 them in permanent quarters early in life, as they 

 transplant badly after they have attained a height 

 of 4 or 5 feet, without considerable trouble is 

 taken to remove a large ball of soil attached to 

 the roots. 



The chief sorts are : 



A. Andrachne. A small tree which some- 

 times attains a height of 30 feet, found in the 

 Levant and other places in the vicinity. The 

 leaves are oblong, blunt and entire, and some- 

 times measure 6 inches in length, the flowers 

 being greenish white and borne in upright 



250 



