THE HOLLY. 
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panicles, and are succeeded by red berries. In 
favourable situations it may be regarded as 
being hardy, but in more exposed and less 
genial places, it needs some protection. It is 
the I. Cassine of some authors. 
Ilex odoeata, (the sweet-scented Holly,) 
is an evergreen small tree, inhabiting Nepal. 
It has oval-oblong leaves, and the flowers are 
small, white, and sweet-scented. It is not yet 
introduced to this country, but is, without 
doubt, hardy. 
Ilex nepalensis, (the Nepal Holly,) is a 
small evergreen shrub, growing to the height 
of eight feet. The leaves are elliptic, and 
entire ; the flowers white. It is also called by 
some I. elliptica. Native of Nepal; not yet 
introduced. 
Ilex dipyrena, (the two-seeded Holly,) 
is an evergreen shrub, or small tree, growing 
twelve feet in height, and a good deal resem- 
bling the common Holly. It has elliptic oblong 
leaves, and small white flowers, succeeded by 
dark-brown berries. A native of Nepal, and 
not yet introduced : probably half-hardy. 
Ilex serrata, (the saw-leaved Holly,) 
forms a small tree in Nepal, "with acutely 
ovate leaves, and solitary white flowers. It is 
probably hardy, and certainly half-hardy. 
Ilex excelsa, (the lofty Holly,) is a tree 
of Nepal, of considerable size, and probably 
hardy. 
Ilex Perado, (the Madeira Holly,) called 
also I. maderensis, is a native of Madeira, 
where it forms a low tree, with ovate shining 
leaves, and small white flowers, followed by 
large red berries. It is a handsome species, 
and will endure mild winters without pro- 
tection. 
Ilex latifolia, (the broad-leaved Holly,) 
is a splendid half-hardy evergreen shrub, from 
Japan; it has ovate serrated leaves, shining 
above, the edges revolute ; the flowers are 
small and white. In the Epsom nursery this 
plant has been grown with leaves nine inches 
long. 
Ilex canarieksis, (the Canary Island 
Holly,) is a hardy evergreen tree, growing 
twenty feet high ; the leaves are ovate-lanceo- 
late, acute, flat, shining, and quite entire ; the 
flowers are white, and the berries black. 
Besides these, the following may be planted 
in sheltered situations, against a wall : — 
I. cuneifolia, I. ligustrifolia, I. chinensis, I. 
heterophylla, and I. macrophylla. 
The common Holly is known as a very use- 
ful evergreen shrub, both for planting in 
shrubberies, and also for the purpose of form- 
ing hedges. Although, like most other trees, 
it prefers a good soil, — that is to say, a rich 
sandy loam, — yet it is by no means difficult to 
grow on almost any other ; indeed, wherever 
any preparation has been made for it in the 
way of trenching and preparing the soil, it 
will grow freely enough in any situation that 
is sufficiently drained to carry off the stagnant 
water, for all the purposes for which it may be 
required. On clay soils it grows vigorously; 
and although in these its early progress may 
not be so rapid, yet whenever it becomes esta- 
blished, it will grow away freely. There are 
examples to be found, by no means rare, of fine- 
grown trees, growing in a free loamy soil; in 
gravelly soil resting on chalk; in loam on chalk; 
in deep alluvial sand, and in granatic clay. It 
does not succeed so well in damp and marshy 
situations, as in those which are drier. It 
prefers shelter and partial shade ; and is one 
of the few plants which will grow beneath 
the shade and drip of tall thick trees. 
The Holly may be propagated by cuttings 
and layers, and the more rare and valuable 
species, and the varieties, are increased both by 
these means, and by the process of budding, 
grafting, or inarching; but the common kind is 
most usually and extensively multiplied by 
seeds.- These take two years to vegetate, and 
therefore the least troublesome and expensive 
process is to bury them in heaps after they 
are gathered, intermixing them with sand to 
prevent, fermentation ; these heaps may be 
occasionally turned in the course of the season, 
to promote the decomposition of the pulp and 
husks. In the autumn following that in which 
they have been gathered, they may be sown, 
and they will vegetate during the early part of 
the following summer. They are to be sown 
in beds of finely prepared soil, after removing 
them, by sifting, from the sand in which they 
were buried, and should be covered over to the 
depth of about a quarter of an inch. In the 
hot dry weather, which frequently occurs in 
the spring, the germination of the seeds is 
assisted by covering the beds with litter, — the 
fronds of fern or evergreen boughs, — to prevent ■ 
evaporation from the soil : this covering must 
be gradually removed as the young plants 
make their appearance above the surface. 
The young seedlings should be transplanted 
from the seed-bed the second season after 
sowing, and from that time, until they are 
finally planted out, they ought to be removed 
every other year, to render them moderate in 
their growth, and well-furnished with roots. 
Those intended for planting in shrubberies 
must be grown in an open quarter, and more 
and more space, from time to time, allowed 
them, in order that they may grow bushy and 
well-furnished on all sides jvith branches. The 
variegated varieties, and other choice kinds, 
which are multiplied by grafting, require pre- 
cisely the same treatment; the common variety 
serving as a stock, when three or four years 
old from the seed. 
As a hedge plant, the Holly ranks next to, 
