36 



THE HOLLY. 



which, throughout the whole of the winter, a 

 vast number of sparrows, green linnets, bun- 

 tings, blackbirds, and some starlings resort, to 

 take their nocturnal repose in peace and quiet. 

 The holly sheds a large proportion of its leaves 

 after the summer has set in. These remain on 

 the ground in thick profusion. So formidable 

 are their hard and pointed spikes to the feet of 

 prowling quadrupeds, that neither the cat, nor 

 the weasel, nor the foumart, nor the fox, nor 

 even the ever-hungry Hanoverian rat, dare in- 

 vade the well-defended territory. Hence the 

 birds, which in yew trees and in ivy would be 

 exposed to inevitable destruction from the at- 

 tacks of these merciless foes, are safe from dan- 

 ger in the holly bush. 



People generally imagine that the holly is of 

 tardy growth. It may be so in ordinary cases ; 

 but means may be adopted to make this plant 

 increase with such effect as to repay us amply 

 for all our extra labour and expense. Thus, 

 let us dig the ground to a full yard in depth, 

 and plant the hollies during the last week of 

 May, taking care to puddle their roots well into 

 the pulverised soil. We shall find, by the end 

 of September, that many of the plants will have 



