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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS 



ILEX 



axillary stalks, succeeded by roimd red 

 berries. 



The Holly is at all seasons of the 

 year an ornamental tree, but particularly 

 so in winter when it is covered with its 

 numerous scarlet berries nestling among 

 the dark green, shining foliage. Its value 

 for hedge-making is well known, and in 

 bygone days it was clipped into all kinds 

 of fantastic and unnatural shapes. On the 

 lawn some varieties standing alone are 

 very effective. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 Hollies thrive in good loamy soil, and are 

 best transplanted early in the autumn, so 

 that a few new roots may be made before 

 the frosts of winter set in. 



Hants may be raised from seeds, 

 which should be buried in sand until 

 spring and then sown, in beds or drills, 

 covered viath about 1 in. of soil, where 

 they wiU not get parched. The seedlings 

 should not be touched for 2 years, after 

 which they may be transplanted in 

 autumn, about 1 ft. apart, and remain 

 for another 2 years, and again transplant. 

 The special varieties are usually grafted 

 in March on stocks of the Common Holly 

 raised from seed ; or are budded in May 

 with a sprouting bud, or in August with 

 a dormant one. The amateur, however, 

 unless he has much time at his disposal, 

 will leave the propagation of HoUies to 

 the nurseryman, and pay a few pence 

 for well-established specimens. 



There are many varieties of I. 

 Aquifolium, some with green leaves, 

 some with silver and gold variegation, 

 all more or less worthy of cultivation. 

 Most of them have scarlet berries, but 

 the Ysxiety fructu-alho has white berries ; 

 fructu-luteo, yellowberries ; fructu-nigro, 

 black. In the Kew Handlist of trees and 

 shrubs as many as 53 varieties of the 

 Gomroon Holly are enumerated, and many 

 of them are known under other names as 

 well. The following contain some of the 

 best varieties of the Common HoUy 

 arranged according to the colouring of the 

 foliage : — 



Geebn-lbavbd Hollibs. — Altacle- 

 rensis, angustifolia, Beeti, ciliata, crassi- 

 foUa, donningtonensis, ferox (Hedgehog 

 Holly), Foxi, Jiandsworthiana, hastata, 

 Hendersoni, heterophylla, Hodginsi, laiis- 

 sima, lamrifoUa, maderensis, minorca (or 

 balearica), monstrosa, myrtifolia, nobilis, 

 oblata, ovata, scotica, serratifoUa, Shep- 

 herdi, sinescens, and ivMttingtonensis. 



GoLD-LEAVBD HoLLiES. — Ati/ronUoca, 

 a/wreo-ma/rgvnata, OMreo-picta, aureo- 

 punvila, brevifoUa, Cooki, ferox aurea, 

 lawrifoUa, luteo-maculaia, myrtifolia 

 a/wrea, ohscura, pend/ula aiureo-margi- 

 nata, specioaa (or Golden Queen), tortuosa 

 av/reo-picta, and Webbiama. 



SiLVBK-LBAVBD HoLLiBS. — Argentea 

 regina, argenteo - marginata, argentea 

 med/io-picta, ferox argenteo -ma/rgimata, 

 handsworthensis a/rgentea, Ingrami, 

 hicida (or Silver Queen), pend/ula albo- 

 picta. 



There are a few other Hollies in culti- 

 vation, but few of them equal in beauty 

 or hardiness the many forms of our Com- 

 mon HoUy. The following are some of 

 the best : — 



I. cornuta. — A handsome Chinese 

 Holly vidth sti£&sh deep green leaves 

 usually famished with 3 hom-Hke spines 

 at the apical end, and often with 2 more 

 at the base, especially when young. The 

 small flowers appear in early summer and 

 are succeeded in favourable seasons by 

 bright red berries about f in. in diameter. 



Culture do. as above. 



I. crenata. — A pretty compact -growing 

 Japanese HoUy with small bluntly ovate 

 crenate leaves with more or less revolute 

 margins. The variety major (or Fortunei) 

 is a more vigorous-growing plant than the 

 type, and may be recognised by its rounder 

 leaves. The variety variegata has the 

 leaves blotched or marbled with dull 

 yellow. 



Culture <tc. as above. 



I. dipyrena. — A very ornamental tree 

 12-15 ft. high, native of the Himalayas. 

 The angular shoots are clothed with 

 elliptic-oblong tapering leaves 3-4 in. long 

 vidth spiny serrate cartilaginous margins. 

 The upper surface is deep almost blackish- 

 green, and is in striking contrast to the 

 bright yellowish-green of the under surface, 

 which is traversed by a prominent whit- 

 ish-green midrib. The small flowers are 

 succeeded by dark brown 2-seeded berries. 



Culture dc. as above. A good lavm or 

 park tree. 



I. glabra {Prinos glaber). — This is the 

 ' Inkberry ' of the United States. It grows 

 2-3 ft. high, and has smooth ovate lance- 

 shaped leaves, with a few spiny teeth near 

 the apex. 



Culture dc. as above. Useful for 

 shrubberies. 



