COMMON HOLLY. 45 



deciduous trees, but sufficient to prevent their roots, leaves, 

 &c, from feeling the effects of removal to the same extent 

 that they must necessarily do when in a state of actual 

 growth or excitement. We have, it is true, succeeded in 

 transplanting evergreens, and Hollies among the number, 

 at a later period, viz., May and beginning of June, but in 

 such cases great care was taken to prevent the effect of 

 evaporation, by constantly keeping the earth around the 

 roots in a very moist state ; this must also be attended to 

 in transplanting evergreens in the early autumn months, 

 unless the season itself be very wet. 



The wood of the Holly is valuable in turnery, joinery, 

 and cabinet-work, being white, very hard, with a fine 

 homogeneous grain, and susceptible of a fine polish. It 

 is stained of various colours with great facility, on which 

 account it is highly prized for veneering and inlaying. 

 Mathematical and engineering instruments are also made 

 of it, and it has sometimes been substituted for the box 

 in wood-engraving. When dyed black it frequently 

 supplies the place of ebony in the handles of silver and 

 metal tea-pots, coffee-pots, &c. According to Loudon, 

 when dry, the cubic foot weighs forty-seven pounds seven 

 ounces. 



Of the bark birdlime is made, but the manufacture of 

 this article is now greatly curtailed, and the Hollies, for- 

 tunately, escape that barbarous stripping system, which 

 used to destroy many of the finest trees, and disfigure 

 many more. Should, however, any of our readers wish to 

 know the process of making it, they will find it fully de- 

 tailed in Evelyn's " Sylva," or in Loudon's " Arboretum 

 Britannicum." 



The custom of ornamenting our churches and dwelling- 



