THE HOLLY. 



199 



7? 



it is contented with the humble elevation of thirty feet, 

 or even less, sometimes forming a perfect pyramid, leafy 

 to the base, at other times sending up a clean stem 

 furnished with a bushy head. The bark is of a remark- 

 ably light hue, and is very liable to be invested with an 

 exceedingly thin lichen, ^ the fructification of 

 which consists of numerous curved black lines 

 closely resembling Oriental writing. The leaves 

 are thick, tough, and glossy, and edged with 

 stout prickles, of which the terminal one only 

 is invariably in the same plane with the leaf. 

 The upper leaves have for the most part but 

 a single prickle. In INIay, the Holly bears in 

 the axils of the leaves crowded, small, Avhitish 

 flowers, which are succeeded by the brilliant 

 coral berries too familiarly known to require 

 description. The same tree rarely produces 

 abundant crops of flowers in consecutive sea- 

 sons ; consequently, if we find a Holly one 

 ■winter loaded with berries, in all probability 

 it will bear but few in the following winter, 

 but we shall discover in the clusters of unex- 

 panded buds ample intimation of the abundant 

 crop which it intends to produce in the suc- 

 ceeding year. 



The leaves of the Holly remain attached to 

 the tree for several years, and, Avhen they have 

 fallen, for a long time defy the action of air 

 and moisture. 



The leaf, having a very tough and durable 

 fibre, takes a long while to decay, and may 

 frequently be picked up, a frame filled in with 

 network entirely divested of cuticle. 



The Holly will groAV in almost any soil, provided it is 

 not too wet, but attains the largest size in rich, sandy 

 loam. The most favourable situation seems to be a thin 

 ^ Opcrira2)ha scripta. 



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