lin; PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



plants, little iloubt can be entertained of success. Hares and 

 rabbits are very destructive to this plant ; and as it is some 

 years before it attains a size sufficient to protect itself against 

 their attacks, some defence or other should be devised for 

 their protection. The ground also where they are planted 

 should be kept clear of weeds round them, which, if not at- 

 tended to, will, in many cases, completely check them. Hollies 

 succeed well under the shade of other trees, and to a cer- 

 tainty are more successfully planted in such situations than 

 when fully exposed to the rays of the sun ; and when planted 

 in the park, or in exposed situations, a two-fold benefit may 

 be obtained by surrounding them with a close-wattled fence, 

 both for the purpose of defending them from the attacks of 

 hares, rabbits, ike, and also to atlbrd them a partial shade 

 until they be completely established ; after which, few trees 

 are more hardy and capable of defending themselves against 

 their enemies. 



A curious physiological circumstance has been often noticed 

 by botanists in regard to this tree, which is, that it is fur- 

 nished with prickly leaves near the ground, and entirely 

 smooth ones towards the top, when growing in situations which 

 render it liable to the attacks of deer or other animals. The 

 large hollies in Needwood Forest are described to be of this 

 sort, and are armed with prickly leaves for about eight feet 

 high, which would seem to imply a consciousness in the trees, 

 that when their branches were out of the reach of the deer, 

 they had no occasion for arms. 



Holly-plants, for the purpose of making hedges, should be 

 planted as such, when they have been nursed for two years 

 from the transplanted beds, that is, when they are four years 

 old. In planting them, they should stand at the distance of 

 nine or ten inches apart ; and if protected for the first five or 

 six years, will, soon after that, under good management, de- 

 fend themselves from all attacks, and make excellent fences, 

 aHbrding shelter, as well as a boundary either to fields or 

 plantations. 



The holly attains a large size both in height and girth of 

 stem, and specimens are to be occasionally met with above six 

 feet ill circumference. The value of the timber of such trees 



