^76 PLANTS PROPER FOR UNDERWOOD, 



Holly. It is at once the hardiest and most beautiful • 

 of evergreens, is originally a native of our climate, 

 and has, from time immemorial, been a favourite v^th 

 our poets, who have, in all ages, been fond of intro- 

 ducing it among the imagery which they draw from 

 woodland scenery. The holly delights in shady si- 

 tuations, and in a light soil which is not subject to 

 run dry in summer. It will, however, succeed well 

 enough in stiff land which has not a superabundance 

 of moisture. Being a tap-rooted plant, it does not 

 like transplanting, and the older it grows, the worse 

 that operation agrees with it. It is necessary, there- 

 fore, that the plants be taken very young from the 

 nursery, and the proper season for removing thera^ 

 like most other evergreens, is the month of Septem- 

 ber, or latter end of August. Patches of a foot dia- 

 meter should be made for them by carefully digging, 

 the ground ; and three or four plants should be 

 pricked into each as a provision against failures. By 

 far the best way, however, of propagating the holly 

 in plantations, is to sow its seeds in patches like 

 those we have recommended for acorns, but they 

 need not be above half as large. Drop into each of 

 these a few of the berries, or rather of the seeds, af- 

 ter the pulp is consumed by being buried in 

 the earth a year previously. They should be 



