Ilex 



1715 



/. Aquifolium, van Marnocki, Dallimore, Holly, Yew, and Box, 84(1908), differs 

 mainly from the preceding in the leaves being peculiarly twisted about the middle. 

 Messrs. Fisher, Son, and Sibray tell us that it arose at Handsworth as a chance 

 seedling about forty years ago, and state in their catalogue that it " bears immense 

 berries on the two- and three-year-old wood, forming sprays of vermilion red colour 

 from I to 2 ft. long." Their largest specimen is about 16 ft. high. 



Distribution 



The common holly is a native of western and southern Europe, and extends 

 in two or three geographical forms into Asia Minor, the Caucasus, northern Persia, 

 and China. It cannot live in regions^ where the winter temperature is low, its 

 distribution in Europe being limited to the north and eastward by the January 

 isothermal line of 32° F., so that it is unknown in Russia and Sweden and in the 

 eastern parts of Germany and Austria. It occurs in Norway only on the islands ^ 

 and fjords along the west coast from Christianssund (lat. 63° 10') southwards, 

 and is also met with in west Jutland and on the island of Rugen. It exists 

 here and there in Germany, west of a line drawn from Mecklenburg to Bonn, and 

 also in the Black Forest. It is more abundant in the Alps, where it ascends to 

 4000 feet elevation in Switzerland and in the Tyrol. In France^ it is most common 

 in the central and southern departments, growing, according to Fliche, on all soils 

 that are not marshy, but preferring those deficient in lime ; it is usually shrubby, but 

 attains large dimensions in Vendue and Corsica.* Throughout its area it is most 

 often seen as underwood or small trees in the shade of the broad-leaved forest ; but 

 it also grows in many places amidst scrub or in rocky situations in full sunlight. 



(A. H.) 



Cultivation 



Though the holly is usually looked upon and treated as a shrub, yet in many 

 parts of England it attains the dimensions of a forest tree, which on account of its 

 beautiful foliage and berries has always been one of the greatest ornaments of our 

 natural woodlands and hedgerows. As it is a most useful nurse to oaks, beeches, and 

 other valuable timber trees, and forms excellent shelter for game, it should be 

 encouraged and planted in all places where the soil suits it. 



Holly is hardy in all parts of Great Britain ; and though it will grow on almost 

 any soil, thrives especially on deep sandy loam and on soils with cool subsoil, grows 

 well on chalky and limy soils, and in very moist climates on thin rocky hillsides. It 

 sows itself freely where rabbits are kept down, but grows slowly at first. 



The berries should be gathered in winter, and mixed with sand or light soil in 

 which they decay slowly ; but as the seeds rarely germinate until a year has elapsed, 



1 Cf. A. de Candolle, Geog. Bot. Rais. i. 147, 162, pi. i (1855), who gives much information concerning the distribution 



of the holly. 



2 Holly grows on some of the islands near Bergen, in Hardanger and Sogn fjords ; and attains on Amuglen over 30 ft. 

 in height and 5 ft. in girth. ' Cf. vol. iii. p. 560, note 4- 



* I have two specimens living at Colesborne, which I brought home in 1903 from the Sila mountains in Calabria, where 

 holly grows at 4000 to 5000 ft. altitude. — H. J. E. 



