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THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



bleak hills and deep valleys in many parts of the kingdom. It 

 is an evergreen-tree, of great longevity, and valuable, either 

 when considered as ornamental or useful. There are many 

 varieties of this genus to be met with in those situations where 

 they abound, and in a cultivated state above forty pretty dis- 

 tinct varieties are to be had, many of which are exceedingly inte- 

 resting and curious. As a timber-tree, it becomes valuable when 

 of a great age, and is in all stages of its growth, admitted into 

 the park, the lawn, and the flower garden, with good ellect. 

 Hedges are made of it, which are impenetrable, and some 

 beautiful specimens still exist, which must have been planted 

 above two centuries. Hollies are propagated from seeds, which 

 ripen abundantly every season, and the varieties are increased 

 by budding and grafting them upon the conmion sorts. In 

 October the berries are ripe, and should then be gathered, 

 and, as observed in the case of hawthorn-seeds, they should 

 not be allowed to remain in sacks nor heaps together, as they 

 are apt to ferment violently, and in such cases many of them 

 would be spoiled. As they are gathered, they should be car- 

 ried to the rot-yard in the nursery, and treated as already 

 observed in the case of haws. Holly-seeds generally require 

 to remain for two years in the rot-yard, to secure their speedy 

 vegetation when sown, but as some of them will vegetate the 

 second year, it is considered good practice to sow them after one 

 year s rotting ; when sown, they will continue to come up for two 

 seasons, and j)robably a few will not spring before the third. 

 When the seeds of this tree are to be sent to a distance, pro- 

 vision ought to be made to prevent them from heating too 

 much while closely packed up, a circumstance which very fre- 

 quently hapj)cns, to the loss of the purchaser. Sang recom- 

 mends packing them in deep narrow hampers, and to put not 

 more than one bushel into each. Were it equally convenient 

 to the parties, it would be a much safer way to dispose of 

 those seeds only that have undergone the change in the rot- 

 heap, instead of the fresh-gathered berries. In the latter 

 case, there would be much less danger to be apprehended 

 from fermentation, and no possible injury could happen to the 

 seeds in the one way more than the other. In regard to sow- 

 ing the seeds of holly, the same precautions should he used 



