208 NOTES ON THE VARIETIES OF ENGLISH HOLLY. 



but extends throughout the middle and south of Europe. 

 The tree is, however, more beautiful, grows more vigor- 

 ously, and attains to a larger size in Great Britain and 

 Ireland than in any Continental country that I have 

 visited, owing, no doubt, to the moist climate which our 

 insular position secures to us. It may be difficult to 

 decide which is the handsomest, the original form with 

 its rich green leaves and scarlet berries, or the numerous 

 variations of green, gold, and silver ; but any one of them 

 would be sufficient to place it in the very foremost rank of 

 English evergreens. 



In the second edition of Duhamel's treatise on hardy 

 trees and shrubs, it is remarked "After the Pines the 

 Holly is the only evergreen tree indigenous in northern 

 climates which adorns the forest during winter. In that 

 drear season, when all others appear dead, it stands forth 

 an image of life, and rejoices the heart of the observer of 

 nature ; in sunshine its brilliant leaves reflect the feeble 

 solar rays, and in gloom they make a charming contrast 

 with the dead-leaf colour of the Beech, which is often 

 found in company with it." I heartily adopt the language 

 of Duhamel, and add that we have no evergreen shrub at 

 all comparable with the Holly for usefulness, variety, and 

 beauty. The Holly forms an admirable single tree or 

 group of trees, alike appropriate on lawns or in woods and 

 hedgerows. It is also the densest and warmest of hedge- 

 plants, though of slow growth in comparison with the 

 Hawthorn. It is again invaluable as an undergrowth in 

 plantations and preserves. 



There is a fine group of the original English Holly 

 growing nearly opposite the entrance to Panshanger, near 

 Hertford, a seat of the Earl Cowper, and numberless fine 

 specimens may be seen in the hedges of that district. I 

 have observed two distinct forms of the wild Holly growing 

 in the Hertfordshire lanes, the one prickly, the other 

 smooth, the latter growing more vigorously and becoming 

 the larger tree. Perhaps it may be the latter that Southey 



