102 
FOREST. AND STREAM. 

Woodland, Lawn and Garden. 
HEDGES AND THEIR USES. 
———_>—— 
No. VI.—TxHe AMERICAN Houzy, (Ile). 
oe eel 
‘Shoots up its spine, and shakes its leaves in the sun,.’’—Proctor’. 
“Happy is he who, in a country life, 
Shuns more perplexing toil and jarring strife; 
Who lives upon the natal soil he loves, 
And sits beneath his old ancestral groves.’’ 
We speak in this paper of a plant, a venerable relic of 
the old plantation of the Elizabethan age, yet a plant long 
neglected for no good reason that we can perceive. In 
the days of Henry and Queen Elizabeth, there abounded 
what were termed ancient parterres, or picturesque gardens. 
In these rich old grounds this green Holly did much abound. 
While welike the plant, we like not its ‘‘ topiary ” treatment, 
at that time common. It is a whimsical, barbarous con- 
ceit, this cutting out of the green Holly the “Great Queen 
Dragon” or any other horrid ingenuity suggested by the 
morbid fancy of the gardeners (?). Were we to call such 
men gardeners at this period, we should offend against all 
sense, reason or good taste. But we can pardon even this 
low taste, this meagre appreciation of high art, so long, as 
it has left us unimpaired in its native beauty, the grand old 
American Holly. From the man of unappreciative mind 
and uneducated taste we can forgive much, for in what is 
left the true lover of nature rejoices. : 
“A wood coeval with himself he sees, 
And loves his own cotemporary trees.” 
Among the beautiful plants that may be called suitable 
for hedges, we would name the American Holly. If we 
could only press into our service as a hedge plant the old 
English Holly, well adapted to withstand the cold of our 
severe winters, what a beautiful tree would grace our gar- 
den plots. Who does not love its rich, deep green leaves, 
its grassy foliage, and its rich garniture of bright coral ber- 
ries, studding like gems its massive beauty? Only a few 
of these beautiful evergreens grace our American gardens, 
and these secured an existence only by the most skilful care; 
while in England it may be truly called the ‘‘pride and 
beauty ” of the English garden. 
Passing the many bright and delightful recollections of 
the Holly tree, and its legends and Christmas carols, its 
talismanic virtues, and its many bright associations, we 
feel that if we cannot have the English Holly from the un- 
congeniality of our climate, we need not despair.* While 
we are compelled to part reluctantly with the European 
Holly in our Middle States, yet it may be cultivated some. 
what, as it has been, south of Philadelphia with tolerably 
good success, and in time we may hope to see it fully accli- 
mated. We would encourage lovers of this valuable plant 
to make experiment. hoping that some fortunate individual 
may in time succeed in growing a hedge of the Holly. 
We fall back with a good grace and much confidence to 
the American Holly, which in several respects nearly re- 
sembles the European. Our American Holly has leaves 
very much like the English, waved and irregular upon its 
surface, and in general outline, though the leaves are some- 
what longer than the English. They are in color a trifle 
lighter green than their European prototype, and like it pre- 
sent the same row of sharp points or prickly terminations. 
The berries, perhaps, do not grow quite so profusely as 
upon the English, but in quantity sufficient for all purposes 
of propagation. The American Holly may be said to cover 
quite an extensive region of our middle climate, and one 
has only to take a journey to the eastern Shore of Maryland, 
some portions of Virginia, and the lowlands of New Jersey, 
to find this plant growing not only profusely but in full 
perfection of all its natural beauty. I had the pleasure once 
in company with Mr. A. J. Downing, of visiting in Mary- 
land a most splendid grove of American Holly. It would 
have done one’s heart good to have looked upon some of 
those beautiful green trees. ‘‘It is no uncommon sight,” 
remarked Mr. Downing, ‘‘to behold trees forty feet in height 
in such localities.” In the shady swamps where the soil is 
cool and rich, it grows perfectly rampant. 
In conversation with a gentlemen of much intelligence, 
from West Tennessee, he remarked it was his belief that 
the experiment of transplanting these Holly plants of one 
and two feet high, might be done with perfect. success, 
were it done at the right season andin the right manner. 
My own observation led me to that conclusion. Here were 
isolated plants, perfect in symmetry and in heaithy condi- 
tion, so wondrously beautiful that I longed for a spade and 
means of transportation for some of them. There is but 
little question in my mind that the same degree of 
care that is requisite to grow a good hemlock hedge would 
also give with cultivation an equally as good Holly hedge, 
and oh, how much more beautiful. In such localities as 
the one I am speaking of, the Holly tree often reaches forty 
feet in height and from twelve to fifteen inches in diameter. 
The Holly is quite a slow growing tree, yet is neverthe- 
less always beautiful. The American Holly can be quite 
easily cultivated, and we are surprised that so few speci- 
mens of it, even as trees or separate plants, to say nothing 
of itasa hedge plant, are cultivated in our gardens and 
upon our lawns, where they never fail to prove very attrac- 
tive. The seeds of the American Holly can be very easily 
procured, and can be as easily propagated as many other 
not half as. beautiful and valuable plants. To have the 

*Many attempts have been made to acclimate the English Holly in 
the New England States, but withont success. Much money has been 
spent for this purpose in yain. True, we have, and still may see in highly 
sheltered enclosures fine specimens of the Holly; but they are quite rare, 
aa‘the plant is too tender for New England. 
























seeds of the Holly tree vegetate readily, you have only to 
gather in autumn the quantity you wish to plant; then 
you should scald or immerse them in boiling water, and let 
them remain in water until it becomes cold; sow imme- 
diately, having previously prepared your plot of ground. 
They then vegetate in the coming spring, as freely and as 
easily as the well known asparagus seed. 
Let us urge upon our agricultural friends and all lovers 
of fine hedges to give this beautiful and, we fully believe, 
reliable hedge plant a trial. If you do not feel like making 
a large investment in plants, try the seeds. You can easily 
procure them, and plant some quarts or pints of them, 
watch their growth carefully, and note your experience with 
them, and you will not only confer much pleasure upon your- 
self, but your efforts to introduce this valuable plant to a 
more extended notice, will be a public benefit. 
Our appealis for the Holly; plant its seeds; transplant 
its small trees, and introduce again some of the rare plants 
used in ancient gardening. Evelyn says, in the year 1664: 
“Above all natural greens which enrich our home-born 
stone, there is none certainly to be compared to the Holly. 
Is there under heaven amore glorious and refreshing ob- 
ject of the kind than an impregnable hedge of one hundred 
and sixty-five feet in length, seven high and five in diameter, 
which I can show in my poor gardens at any time of the 
year, glittering with its armed and varnished leaves?” Thus 
says Evelyn, a most practical lover of nature, in the early 
history of the Holly. 
Now why cannot our American agriculturists take a hint 
from the old man eloquent? He loved nature, and revelled 
in the genial and the bright as revealed in the lilly, the 
rose, and the Holly; all were but types to him of a great 
and benificent Father, teaching through his works the won- 
derful creations of his mighty power. 
The Holly seed, as I have before stated; should be gath- 
ered in the fall months of the year, and treated as I have 
named, and planted at once. If the ground is well pre- 
pared, they will come up quite readily in the spring, being 
quite hardy of themselves. 
Now readers of the ForEsT AND STREAM, and especially 
those who are interested in the ornamental as well as prac- 
tical—those who love the noble and elevating science of 
ornamental gardening, how many of you will respond to 
my appeal for the Holly? Commence this present fall; 
gather and prepare the seed carefully, and deposit them in 
the seed bed, looking to a green and bright germination in 
the glorious spring time. OLIPOD QUILL. 
ro or 
Century PLANT.—The Century Plant on the premises of 
Mr. Lee, now stands thirty-six feet high, and has about 
forty bunches which contain upwards of a thousand buds. 
The young plant on the same place is three feet high and 
has ten large buds which are as far advanced as those on 
the large plant. Upwards of two thousand {persons have 
registered as visitors to these plants. 
The denizens of San Jose are paying twenty-five cents 
apiece to see a Century Plant in bloom. There is scarcely 
a month in the year but one of these plants can be seen in 
full bloom in Los Angles. 
This remarkable plant, is generally understood as bloom- 
ing only once in a hundred years. Asa general thing here in 
California it blooms at from ten to fifteen years after plant- 
ing, and if more attention was given to it, would bloom in 
from six to ten years. 
This Plant (The Agave Americana or American Aloe) is 
one of the most desirable plants that can be found to place 
in large open lawns or parks asa show plant. It is a clean 
and showy plant always during its growth, it is also a fine 
hedge plant, and will prevent horses or cattle from break- 
ing in or out—it should be grown more extensively.—San 
Jose, (Cal.) xpress. 

MAn, THE DEstRoYER.— When nature out of her supplies 
has bountifully provided for all dependent upon her, man 
as often as not stepsin to play havoe with what is left. 
We know that the greed of man, allied to the food-wants of 
our great and accessible seats of population, and, as in the 
case of sea-fish, the comparatively easy acquisition of a 
money-yielding commodity that costs nothing, has undoubt- 
edly made an impression on various species of animated 
nature. Grouse-moors, for example, are becoming in some 
districts exhausted from over-shooting; and many kinds of 
inshore fish, notably the haddock, are yearly becoming 
scarcer, because of the incessant industry of our fishermen, 
impelled to constant work by the pressing demand of the 
public. Oysters are not nearly so plentiful as they were 
wont to be, and no wonder, considering the enormous num- 
bers that are brought to market. London alone requires 
one billion of these delightful bivalves every year, whilst 
Manchester, Liverpool, and other large towns could con- 
sume a much larger number than they can obtain. Even 
in France, where economy isa study, some kinds of ani- 
mals are exhausted, nature having been overborne. The 
oyster-beds of France, for example, have nearly all in turn 
been dredged to death, so that it became necessary for man 
to plant them anew; and in particular instances this has 
been done with success. A French oyster-ground which 
was barren in the year 1856, produced 820,000 francs in five 
years’ time. In Ireland the greed of man has despoiled 
many of the natural beds of oysters. Other kinds of shell- 
fish are yearly becoming more difficult to obtain; fisher- 
men now experience a great scarcity of bait, and require to 
proceed long distances to obtain supplies of mussels. Our 
inshore lobsters are annually becoming smaller, whilst men 
have to proceed to greater distances to capture them. We 
know, too, that the capercailzie had at one time almost 
entirely disappeared from Scotland. The wild white ox 
bas vanished, and Shetland ponies are less plentiful. 
are whales; men go farther and find fewer of them now 
than they did fifty years ago. Seals, too, willin time become 
scarce, so fierce has become the pursuit of man in search of 
them.—Chambers’ Journal. ' 
people. 

So. 

Che Blagazines. 
AN OLD BILL OF FARE. 
OSL EL 
N her capacity of cook, Mrs. Woolly, (the Miss Leslie 
of the time of Charles the First), catered for well-to-do 
She gives us bills of fare ‘‘ without feasting, only 
such a number of dishes as are used in great and noble 
houses in their own family, and familiar friends with 
them.” A couple of examples will suffice to shew what 
sort of dinners grand folks sat down to in the days of the 
Merry Monarch. In summer-time the first course might be: 
i 
A boiled or baked pudding; boiled chickens; stewed carp; . 
a Florentine; a calf’s head, one half roasted, the other half 
boiled; haunch of venizon; venizon pasty; a couple of fat 
capons, or a pig. The second course: partridges; artichoke 
pie; quails; cold pigeon pie; souced pig; salmon; tarts, a 
‘Westphalia ham. and dried tongues about it. In winter, 
the first course might consist of: collar of brawn; acapon 
and white broth, two roasted neats’ tongues, and an udder 
between them; a chine of beef roasted; a shoulder of mut. 
ton stuffed with oysters; a salad of divers herbs and 
pickles; eel pie; three young turkeys in a dish; souced fish. 
The above to be followed by a quarter of lamb roasted; a 
couple of rabbits; a kickshaw fried; mallard; cold venison 
pasty; a dish of snipes; warden pie; tarts; sturgeon; pickled 
oysters—cheese of all sorts, jellies, and sweetmeats coming 
upon the table as soon as the meats are cleared away. The 
total absence of soup, the lack of vegetables, and the sub- 
stantial nature of the provender altogether, perhaps justi- 
fies the outbreak: ‘‘ Who are so weak as our English people! 
for they eat so much of meat, that they distemper them- 
selves with it; whereas if they did eat herbs, roots, and 
plants more freely, it would be better for them. Observe 
the diet of other nations, they make savory meat, and do 
not use half somuch meat as we do!” We certainly are 
an obstinate race in matters of eating and drinking; and 
we fear all the lecturing in the world will not lessen the 
consumption of meat in England by a single beefsteak.— 
Chambers’ Journal. 
——<$———— $$ 0 ——__ 
JUS hen IL MEP Stil (Opa ws isveysy 
———— 
Mr. Hubert Airy, in the last number of Nature, differs 
somewhat respecting the flight of the eagle, as described by 
Mr. Herschel, an article in regard to which was copied in 
our columns. Mr. Airy says : 
“Tf there was no quiver of the wings perceptible ‘at an 
apparent distance of ten or twelve feet’— if the very tips of 
the wings ‘looked as steady as those of a stuffed specimen,’ 
then certainly the theory of self-support by muscular action 
must be abandoned, and the problem is reduced to one in 
which we have only to consider the weight and shape of 
the bird with outspread wings, and the velocity and direc- 
tion of the wind. 
Captain Herschel rejects (perhaps too hastily) the notion 
of ‘slants of wind,’ and asks: ‘What becomes of the hori- 
zontal force’ of the wind? Surely its effect would be to 
balance the horizontally resolved portion of the bird’s slant 
fall, just as the vertically resolved portion of the slant cur- 
‘rent of wind would balance the vertically resolved portion 
of the slant fall. 
Different degrees of inclination and force of the wind 
might be met (within limits) by different degrees of slope 
and spread of the wings. 
I must confessthis is only theory. We want more obser- 
vations, as keen and careful as Captain Herschel’s, to ascer- 
tain the force and direction of the wind attending this ar- 
rest of motion in mid-air. Slant currents are common 
enough on a small scale among house-wails, and on a larger 
scale we may see how the wind pounces down on a land- 
locked water, or presses up a mountain side. In a steady 
wind, the shapes of hill and valley must cause certain regu- 
lar currents variously inclined to the horizontal, and some 
of these, I suppose, the eagles find and use. On the lee 
side of a hill (asin the case given by Captain Herschel) 
there would be a current rising from the eddy to join the 
main course of the wind.” 
—— eh 6 
THE BALANCE OF NaturE.—When man, from his desire 
to obtain sport or food, destroys some particular species of 
bird, beast, or fish, nature speedily places the matter before 
him in such a way as to indicate the error of which he has 
been guilty. Of this we have a striking and painful in- 
stance in the case of France, where the foolish and cruel 
practice of killing all sorts of birds has given latitude to 
whole hosts of insects which prey on the crops. So too, 
frequently, the gamekeeper remorselessly shoots down the 
Mids of prey that would kill the rats and other vermin 
which, whenever they obtain the chance, devour the grouse 
or eat their eggs. hat is the result ? It is simply that 
more grouse aredestroyed in one way than in the other! 
The more hawks that are shot the worse it becomes for the 
grouse. The hawk, like the sparrow, has its mission, and 
on a grouse-moor that mission would appear to be the weed- 
ing out of unhealthy birds which, if allowed to live, might 
perpetuate unhealthy progeny or breed disease, and so ruin 
the moor. The stock is kept at its best by the weeding out 
constantly performed by predatory birds; a scheme of na- 
ture to maintain a healthy and vigorous breed. The econ- 
omy of a grouse-mooris not, we think, sufficiently under- 
stood. It would be well if a reliable estimate of its wild 
population could be formed, so that it could be ascertained, 
with moré exactitude than is at present the case, what per: 
centage of birds man might shoot, and how many grouse 
per acre ought to be left, in order to multiply and replenish 
the stock. It has been affirmed, that to the mania for over- 
preserving game, we owe the grouse-plagues which have 
more than once prevailed during these later years; and, at a 
meeting of the British Association, it was asserted that, if 
the kites, falcons and hawks, once plentiful in Scotland, 
had not during the past twenty years been so ruthlessly 
killed off, the grouse disease would have been stamped out 
before becoming epidemic, it being the business of those 
keen-eyed forages of the wilderness to snap up all the weak 
and sickly birds they can find. A given number of acres 
of heather will only breed and feed a given number of 
birds, and if more grouse is hatched than there is food for, 
it follows, as the merest matter of course, that the birds 
will be weak and ill-fed. Nature, in short, has established 
a balance, which it would be presumptuous for man to imag- 
ine he could improve by disturbing.— Chambers’ Journal. 

Advice to anglers—‘‘ Spare the rod.” 

