A PERSONAL WORD 
When I began to grow American Hollies more than 35 years ago, 
nurserymen raised only a few and little was written about the culture of 
this wonderful native. I had to learn the hard way, through practical ex- 
perience. Almost from the very beginning certain factors became progres- 
sively more evident, perhaps the most important, that my stock was not as 
hardy as desired. 
Southern material, although fine looking, did not do well. Hollies 
brought in from the swamps and woodlands of New Jersey and Massa- 
chusetts, as a whole, did little better. You see, my Hollies have to be 
able to “‘take it,” for I grow everything in open fields exposed to full sun 
and wind. 
Success started when I found that Hollies transplanted to my fields 
from exposed places did much better than most of those from protected 
swamps. 
The immediate result was that my work seemed much harder because 
only a few plants were available where before I had had thousands to 
choose from. Slowly, year by year, however, my stock has grown stronger 
and more hardy. This is proven by the fact that Hollies I have sold are 
doing well with proper care way up north in Minn., Wis., Mich., N. Y., 
Vermont, N. H., Maine, Nova Scotia, Canada and in hundreds of other 
far northern places where Holly never grew before. 
My lifetime hobby—the hunt for better American Hollies—grows in 
intensity with the years, but now insiead of transplanting specimens to my 
Holly Farm, I bring back cuttings. This year, 1948, my son Tom rooted 
92,000. 
Real advances have been made in the selection, propagation and 
growing of Holly trees. Most people now buy by name the same as they 
purchase roses and other plants. 
If interested write me for I believe I can help. Remember, the thing 
that counts most is hardiness. 
A brief description of six of my named Hollies appears on the fol- 
lowing pages. Each differs from the other, but all can be described with 
just one word—Hardy. 
EARLE DILATUSH. 
