Ilex 



1717 



its largest size in the moister and milder parts of Ireland, Wales, and southern 

 England. It is a very characteristic tree of the New Forest, and is not uncommon 

 in parts of the. Chiltern Hills, where large specimens may be seen on the roadside 

 between Wyfold and Reading. 



There are few places in Great Britain where the holly grows in greater size 

 and abundance, and forms such an important feature in the scenery, than in the New 

 Forest, where, since the red deer were killed off, it has increased very fast ; and in 

 some of the old woods of oak and beech forms almost impenetrable thickets, which 

 not only add to the beauty of the scenery, but protect many young oaks and beeches 

 from being eaten off by the ponies. I am inclined to think that but for these hollies 

 the number of saplings which are coming up would be so small that the timber trees 

 would in time disappear, and though deer, sheep, and rabbits all browse on and bark 

 hollies in winter, they bear the shade of oak very well. In Mark Ash some of the 

 hollies are over 50 ft. high, with straight trunks, and the annual growths here are 

 over a foot long. 



In all the beautiful country about Midhurst and Haslemere the holly grows very 

 well, and is cut by gypsies for whip-sticks, which when straight and slender are 

 the best in England, being light and elastic. I have not seen here, however, any 

 trees so remarkable for size as those which grow in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire 

 on sandy and gravelly loam. At Russells, near Watford, in 1907, I saw a group of 

 trees in a thick shrubbery from 70 to 75 ft. high, but crowded by beech trees, and 

 not well shaped. In Rod's Wood, Teppingley, near Ampthill, Henry measured in 

 1909 a fine specimen, 60 ft. high and 1 1 J ft. in girth, at a foot from the ground, just 

 below the point where it divided into about seven stems. 



On the oolite of the Cotswold Hills it is common on old downs and in hedge- 

 rows, but though often forming trunks of 4 to 5 ft. in girth does not attain as 

 great height as on better soil. 



On the coast of Suffolk the holly grows remarkably well on sandy soil in Orwell 

 Park, where in a natural wood of oak and holly I saw many 50 ft. high and more, 

 with clean stems 15 to 20 ft. high, and over 5 ft. in girth. Mrs. Rivis tells us that 

 part of Staverton Wood, near Butley, consists of numerous old holly trees crowded 

 together, and with their stems clear of branches to a considerable height. 



At Rougham Hall, Norfolk, in 1907, I measured a splendid weeping silver holly 

 50 ft. by 4 ft. 11 in., with a bole 15 ft. high, the finest of the sort I have seen. 



On the Steiperstone hills, south of Shrewsbury, a natural forest of hollies was 

 said to have existed in which trees of great size were found ; one is mentioned 1 4 ft. 

 in girth; 1 but when I visited this place in 1909 I found that part of the land was 

 now planted, and on the open part the hollies were injured by cattle, and by being 

 lopped for Christmas decorations, so that I could find no old ones more than 20 to 

 30 ft. high, and few seedlings coming up. 



At Doddington Hall, near Lincoln, Lord Kesteven in 1907 measured a splendid 

 holly about 50 ft. high, and 9^ ft. in girth at 4 feet from the ground. 



1 Notes and Queries, ser. v., xii. 508. 

 VII K 



