3IO TREES AND SHRUBS 



not so costly as larger plants. Holly hedges should 

 be clipped in late August or early September, when 

 they will make a short growth before winter, and 

 keep in good condition without further attention 

 until the following autumn. The height of the hedge 

 is entirely a matter for the owner to decide, one 30 

 or 40 feet high, properly feathered to the ground, 

 being quite possible, as we know from some already 

 in existence. When grown to this height, however, 

 the top should be cut to a point to throw off snow. 

 The flatness of the hedge can be broken by allowing 

 a few leading shoots, 20 or 30 feet apart, to run 

 up, budding them in August with some of the 

 variegated varieties. Gold Queen, Waterer's Gold, 

 Silver Queen, and Argentea variegata are good sorts 

 to use for this. 



When a Holly hedge has been neglected for some 

 years cut it back to the old wood in March or April, 

 and fork in a liberal dressing of manure around it. 

 It may not make much growth the first year, but 

 will practically re-establish itself the second. 



Yew. — The Common Yew is hard to kill, and easy 

 to prune into various shapes, as topiary work suggests. 

 Yew is generally used for the inside of a garden, such 

 as terraces and hedges near the house. It should be 

 treated in the same way as the Holly, with the im- 

 portant exception of being clipped in May, as the 

 Yew makes most of its growth in the early part of 

 the year. In buying Yews, choose rather stunted- 

 looking plants in preference to those of fresher look 

 and freer growth. The former have been moved 



