76 



A DISCOURSE 



BOOK II. (a devoted tree of old, and therefore inccedua,) thrives manifestly with us; 



""^^'^'^'"^ witness his Majesty's privy garden at Whitehall, where once flourished 

 a goodly tree, of more than fourscore years' growth ; and there was lately 

 a sickly imp of it remaining : and now very many raised by me, have 

 thriven wonderfully, braving the most severe winters, planted either in 

 standards or hedges, which they most beautifully become. The only 

 difficulty is in their being dexterously removed out of the nursery, with 

 the mould adhering to their roots, otherwise they are apt to miscarry; 

 and therefore it is best trusting to the acorn for a goodly standard, which 

 may be removed without prejudice. Trials should be made by graffing 

 the Ilex on the Oak stock, taken out of our woods, or better, grown 

 from the acorn to the bigness of one's little finger. 



By what I have touched in the chapter of the Elms, concerning the 

 peregrination of that tree into Spain, (where even in Pliny's time there 

 \vere none, and where now they are in great abundance,) why should 

 Ave not more generally endeavour to propagate the Ilex amongst us ; 

 I mean that which the Spaniards call the Enzina, and of which they have 

 such woods and profitable plantations ? They are an hardy sort of tree, 

 and familiarly raised from the acorn, if we could have them sound, and 

 well put up in earth or sand, as I have found by experience. 



The wood of these Ilexes is serviceable for many uses, as stocks 

 of tools, mallet-heads, mall-balls, chairs, axle-trees, wedges, beetles, pins, 

 and above all, for palisadoes used in fortifications : besides, it affords 

 so good fuel, that it supplies all Spain almost with the best and most 

 lasting of charcoals in vast abundance. Of the first kind is made the 

 painters' lac, extracted from the berries ; to speak nothing of that noble 

 confection, alkermes, and that noble scarlet dye the learned Mr. Ray 



leaves very different in size and shape from each other : those on the lower branches being 

 much broader, rounder, and their edges indented and set with prickles ; but those of the 

 upper are long, narrow, and entire. The leaves of the Ilex are from three to four inches 

 long, and one broad near the basej gradually lessening to a point ; they are of a lucid 

 green on their upper side, but whitish and downy on their under, and are entire, standing 

 upon pretty long foot-stalks; these remain green all the year, and do not fall till they are 

 thrust off by the young leaves in the spring. The acorns are smaller than those of the 

 common Oak, but of the same shape. 



