OR, PLAIN TEACHING. 



269 



interesting genus of plants. The 

 common holly is one of our most 

 beautiful shrubs, or low trees. 

 By culture, a hundred varieties 

 and sub-varieties have been pro- 

 duced, differing in the variega- 

 tion, margin, and size of the 

 leaves, and in the colour of the 

 fruit. Some of these have mixed 

 leaves, others are thick-leaved, 

 others slender, some yellow, and 

 others red berried, the leaves of 

 some silver-edged, others gold- 

 edged, and for the most part 

 prickly. The common holly has 

 spiny, shining, dark green, waved 

 leaves, puts forth white flowers 

 in the spring, and rich red berries 

 in the autumn and winter ; while 

 the hedge-hog holly has spines not 

 only on the edges of its leaves, 

 but over their upper surfaces. 



This spinous property of the 

 leaves of the holly, makes it very 

 suitable for the production of | 

 impenetrable fences. If it were 

 not of very slow growth, it would | 

 supersede all other shrubs for 

 this purpose, in suitable soils. 



The guelder rose, 17, is a 

 highly ornamental shrub, pro- 

 ducing large bunches of white 

 flowers, 18, the outer flowers of 

 each cluster being larger than the 

 inner ones, and of a different 

 formation, both stamens and pis- 

 tils being absent. The berries, 

 * 19, are of a delicate yellow, mixed 

 with rosy tints, until they as- 

 sume a bright red, with a rich 

 waxen appearance. The guelder 

 rose belongs to the botanical 

 genus viburnum, an interesting 

 group of deciduous and ever- 

 green shrubs, the name being de- 

 rived from the Latin viere, to tie, 



on account of the pliability of 

 the branches of some of the spe- 

 cies. To this group belong the 

 laurestinus, the plum-leaved vi- 

 burnum, the wayfaring tree, &c. 



17 



682. 



They constitute a very interest- 

 ing and ornamental group of 

 shrubs, those which are ever- 

 green displaying shiny leaves of 

 a rich green, and displaying their 

 white flowers in the winter 

 months. Among the most beau- 

 tiful ornaments of our hedge- 

 rows are various wild roses, 

 which not only illuminate the 

 country with their beautiful 

 flowers, but in the auti inn and 



20 



1 2 3 4 



683. 



winter give rich tints to the 

 leafless branches by their rich 

 bunches of berries, 20, or " hips:" 

 These berries are of various 



