SUMACH AND HOLLY 211 



in many other basins in that great mountain system where their 

 rehcs failed of preservation or have not yet been discovered. 



Sumach history shrinks greatly during the closing days of the 

 Tertiary period, the Pliocene forms being but 5 or 6 in number, 

 and 3 of these were survivors from the Miocene. The Pliocene 

 records are all European and include species in Spain, France, 

 Prussia, Italy and Slavonia. A rich forest flora has been found in 

 numerous Pliocene plant beds, especially in the countries border- 

 ing the PHocene Mediterranean, so that it is difficult to think other- 

 wise than that this scarcity of the sumachs was real and not 

 merely an apparent feature of PHocene times. The only Pleisto- 

 cene records of the sumach that I know of are 3 different forms much 

 like still existing species and found in China and Japan, regions 

 that are still plentifully supplied with these plants. 



THE HOLLY 



"But when the bare and wintry woods we see, 

 What then so cheerful as the holly-tree." 



— SOUTHEY. 



Holly inevitably reminds us of the hearty eating and deep drink- 

 ing of the Anglo-Saxon Christmas tide, with roaring yule logs, 

 when roast pig with a sprig of holly through its heart had not yet 

 been replaced by the turkey, for North America had not yet been 

 discovered. Like so many of our customs, the use of holly at 

 Christmas is of great antiquity, mayhap a survival of the practises 

 of the Roman Saturnalia, or perhaps not going back farther than 

 the respectably ancient Teutonic custom of using the holly along 

 with other evergreens as a refuge for the sylvan spirits during the 

 inclemency of winter. 



When our European ancestors settled America they found here 

 an evergreen holly practically indistinguishable from their familiar 

 European tree, and its use in wreaths and other Christmas decora- 

 tions has grown so enormously in this country in recent years as to 

 seriously threaten the continued existence of the tree. In some 

 localities it is considered unlucky to bring the holly indoors before 

 Christmas eve, and there are many superstitions connected with 



