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aquifolium when transplanted — particularly if at all exposed to 

 wind and sun — as it is absolutely necessary to insure success. 

 Holly will stand a certain amount of shade and can be planted 

 without stripping ofT the leaves. At the New York Botanical 

 Garden we have germinated the fruits taken from a hardy tree 

 in the fruticetum in 8 months by planting them early in January 

 in a mixture of sand and leaf-mould. Friends tell me that 

 when planted in pots with their house plants, they can grow them 

 readily from berries that have been used at Christmas-time, and 

 in a few cases, those thrown out-of-doors have germinated. 



Fortunately for us all, we shall not have to give up the use 

 of this symbolic decoration for long, for in Oregon they are grow- 

 ing the European Holly commercially; there are many Holly 

 farms near Portland, Oregon, and opportunity to raise enough 

 of it to supply the nation. Many follow the custom of selling 

 their surplus Holly, and florists will trim trees and hedges 

 properly and buy the cuttings. These sell for a dollar a pound 

 and are shipped to Chicago and New York. The moist and 

 equable climate of the west coast from British Columbia to 

 California is so similar to that of England that all the delicate 

 and variegated varieties of Ilex aquifolia flourish, the English and 

 Dutch, those with the silver and gold margined leaves, and the 

 variety known as Aurea regina. In comparison with the Holly 

 native on the Atlantic Coast, the leaves of all these varieties 

 are much more dense and glossy, the spines more sharply 

 pointed, and the berries are borne in clusters — on the whole, 

 a much more durable and decorative species and one that is 

 ultimately bound to supplant our own Ilex opaca, as this dimin- 

 ishes and I. aqtiifolia increases in abundance. But for the sake 

 of "Auld Lang Syne" and the birds, let us grow our own Holly 

 and create a demand for living plants by refusing to buy cut 

 Holly! 



Elizabeth G. Brittox, 

 Botanical Garden. 

 Sec'y-Treas. Wild Flower Pres- 

 ervation Society of America. 



