tection from vandals cannot be assured during N er and 
December, as in many New Jersey seashore town . the lack 
of berries is a real advantage. 
HARDINESS 
The hardiness of any holly is largely determined by the 
climate in which its ancestors have grown for thousands of 
years. One with ancestors which never experienced greater cold 
than occurs in Florida or even in Virginia, is less likely to sur- 
vive the coldest weather about New York or Philadelphia than 
hollies from colder areas. Whitesbog hollies originated either 
in New Jersey or southeast Massachusetts. 
LOCATION 
Holly occurs abundantly as undergrowth in hardwood for- 
ests, but the finest, most heavily fruiting specimens are always 
found growing in full sun. Give yours such a location with 
ample room to develop normally. Holly revels in moist winds. 
It is the tree for all seashore gardens as far north as New 
Hampshire, but it also does well far inland and at consider- 
able elevations if protected from drying winds. 
SOIL AND FERTILIZER 
Holly is tolerant as to soil, but does best with an acid 
reaction, good drainage and abundant humus. Half decom- 
posed oak leaves furnish the best of soil conditioners. 
Mr. Wilfrid Wheeler of Falmouth, Mass., who in his land- 
scape work has had much experience in planting holly, 
writes: “Make a hole at least three feet in diameter and as 
deep, although this depends somewhat on the soil, for if the 
soil is good I only turn it over to the depth of three feet. The 
hole is partly filled with oak leaves, dry or partially decom- 
posed, and trodden in hard. Then the best of the soil which 
came from the hole is put back on top of the oak leaves and 
this trodden down. This should bring the‘hole up to about the 
‘place where the tree can be set, although if the tree is small 
you can fill the hole completely full and use a mixture of the 
best soil with oak leaf mould, rotted manure and old sods 
preferably from the woodlands. Also I use good ground 
tobacco stems and some cottonseed meal in a hole of this 
size, about a pound of each thoroughly mixed with the top 
soil. I think that in setting even small trees that are to be 
permanent the same method should be used.” 
Mr. Winston E. Parker recognizes the possible difficulty of 
securing oak leaf mould. He writes: “I have been called upon 
to treat (holly) trees which had developed definite signs of 
decline and have restored them to normal color and increased 
growth through fertilizer alone. My blend is approximately 
4-9-4 composed of the following ingredients: Cottonseed meal 
50 lbs., sulphate of ammonia 10 lbs., superphosphate 30 lbs., 
muriate of potash 7 lbs., ground tobacco stems 3 lbs.” 
Bartlett Tree Food has given excellent results in fertilizing 
hollies. It is available from most nurserymen and florists. 
PRUNING 
A good type holly requires no pruning. If you already have 
a poor type holly it may be made an acceptable ornament by 
cutting back hard each year before new growth starts, even 
to a quarter the length of its branches. Cut sprays for Christ- 
mas decoration with care to preserve or improve the shape 
of the tree. A broken leader under an inch in diameter will 
quickly be renewed. Should branches be accidently broken, 
cut others to restore symmetry and a season’s growth will 
renew the beauty of your tree. 
