THE HOLLY. 
4.57 
nothing is required beyond the ordinary- 
method of carrying this operation into practice. 
Some of the species, as E. europaaus and 
E. verrucosus, are best suited for the com- 
pany of large and common shrubs, where, 
however, if not planted too closely with the 
other trees, they will individually attain consi- 
derable size, and become rather interesting 
than otherwise. There is little doubt but that 
the former of these, especially, is too much 
overlooked, on account of its commonness, and 
that it is capable of being much more exten- 
sively used than at present is the case. All the 
commoner deciduous European species grow 
very freely in the ordinary soil of gardens, 
without the least difficulty. 
The North American species are more dif- 
ficult to cultivate ; they appear to grow 
naturally in damp shady woods, and on the 
margins of streams, and hence require more 
moisture and shade than is usually afforded 
them in this country. Some are even found 
in marshes, and would consequently require 
the characteristic features of the native 
localities to be imitated in artificial cultiva- 
tion. These appear, also, to prefer a soil 
rather sandy or peaty, and hence, perhaps, the 
kinds of soil and situations usually pro- 
vided for Rhododendrons, and similar plants, 
would be found most suitable for these. The 
kinds which succeed best under this mode of 
treatment, areE. americanus; E. atropurpureus, 
E. angustifolius ; and E. obovatus. 
The Nepal, or Indian species, including E. 
japonicus and its variety, the most desirable 
plants of the family, inhabit, for the most part, 
mountains of considerable elevation, and re- 
quire, in their artificial management, to be 
provided with a soil as little subject to super- 
abounding dampness as can be provided. 
Situations, however, which are usually pro- 
vided, and devoted to the growth even of com- 
mon shrubs, are generally sufficiently drained 
to secure all that these plants require. 
E. japonicus, and its variegated variety, are 
suitable plants both to plant out as specimen 
bushes on a grass plat, in sheltered situations, 
and to plant against walls or buildings which 
it may be desirable to cover with a perennial 
foliage. 
LOASA 
Blooms of this half-hardy climber were 
sent us during last season without a name, 
and it had grown in the open air, like some 
other ordinary annuals, having been raised 
upon heat, like many other subjects for early 
blooming, and planted out in May. It has 
since been grown at Henderson's nursery, 
from seeds imported by Mr. Carter ; but it 
was raised also in several other places, and 
LUCIDA. 
treated as a green-house plant. It is a delicate 
white, with an orange-coloured centre, and a 
yellow outside to the disk. The habit is well 
represented in the sketch ; but, like the rest 
of the Loasas, it is far more curious than 
beautiful. It requires only the ordinary soil 
for all flowers, and may be grown in a pot on 
a trellis, or in the border, stuck like Sweet 
Peas. 
THE HOLLY. 
Hardy and Half- Hardy Species. 
The common Holly-tree (Ilex of Botanists) 
is well known to every one; perhaps more uni- 
versally so than any other tree or shrub, not 
even excepting the Oak and the Ivy. The 
name, Holly, is conjectured to be a corruption 
of " holy," — a term which may have been ap- 
plied to it from the general request in which 
branches of it were held for commemorative 
uses at certain seasons of the year, not only in 
houses, but also in churches, and places of a 
religious character. 
Ilex Aquifolium, (the Common Holly,) is 
