SUMACH AND HOLLY 213 



Saxons, whence the term holm, applied to regions where holly 

 was prevalent, in which forms the history of its occurrence is 

 preserved in many Teutonic place names. The wood, like that of 

 its closely alHed American relative, is even grained and hard, almost 

 white in color, and is used in inlaying and turning, and as a substi- 

 tute for ebony in handles. It was also used to some extent in 

 wood engraving. The red berries are greedily eaten by birds 

 who thus distribute the seeds uninjured, but they induce violent 

 illness in man, which is no hardship since they are not at all 

 palatable. 



Our American evergreen holly, in every respect like its European 

 cousin, is known as Ilex opaca. It is found naturally from the coast 

 of Massachusetts southward near the coast to peninsular Florida, 

 and in the Mississippi Valley from southern Indiana to the Gulf of 

 Mexico. It is frequently cultivated as an ornamental plant, as is 

 also its European relative in this country. It reaches a height of 

 from 40 to 50 feet with a trunk diameter of 2 or 3 feet, and excep- 

 tionally it may be 4 feet in diameter, but large trees are usually 

 remote from civilization. Dealers in Christmas greens have 

 seriously restricted its range in recent years by destructive cutting 

 and mutilation. Doubtless were large trees accessible in any 

 quantity lumbering would complete the tragedy, for the wood is 

 highly prized for cabinet work, turnery and interior finish. 



In addition to the Christmas holly of our seaboard states, we 

 have a dozen other species of holly in the United States, collectively 

 ranging from Nova Scotia to Florida and Texas. About half of 

 these have evergreen leaves and the others thinner and deciduous 

 leaves. All are more often shrubs than small trees and many are 

 not even called holly locally, as, for example the Ink or gall-berry. 

 Ilex glabra, of the eastern States; or the black-alder or fever-bush, 

 Ilex verticillata; or the dahoon. Ilex cassine; or the yaupon. Ilex 

 vomitoria. 



The plants of Ilex contain a bitter principle known as ihcin, and 

 possess tonic properties, and perhaps the most useful species is 

 Ilex paraguariensis which furnishes the mate or Paraguay tea, a 

 dehghtful beverage, the basis of a very considerable industry, and, 



