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warranted, because much of the material used in 
her pots, porch boxes, etc., was stump dirt, as she 
called it. This was rotted wood from stumps and 
logs, together with rotted leaves. | used to get it 
for her as a child with a wheelbarrow little larger 
than @ toy. 
When | began growing Holly and other natives, 
my greatest handicap was this experience with fer- 
tilizers and the belief | shared with my father that 
they would help any plant. The first few years were 
full of disappointments. | took time to bring in 
many natives when father thought | ought to have 
been in the cornfield, or orchards. The fact that 
these became sickly looking as the months went 
by did not make it easier for me. 
LEARNED BY EXPERIENCE 
However, | persisted and learned as | went along. 
For instance, Hollies planted around our ice house, 
where sawdust used for keeping ice was discarded 
every few years, were the first to grow really well. 
Since that time, | have used over 2,000 tons of 
Old Oak Sawdust. After much persuasion, my 
father, who did not want me to use good culti- 
vated farm land for Hollies, consented to my using, 
in one of the best of our fields, a portion that had 
been cleared only two years, and on which a crop 
of corn had been poor—the ground was too sour. 
The whole field was plowed at one time and | 
planted the new portion in Hollies. It happened 
that some were put in the older ground. Before 
the year was over, the Hollies showed clearly the 
line where the old field ended and the results were 
the opposite of the corn crop. 
This and many other things finally convinced 
me that | was working backwards with Holly, and 
success came with a rush when | stopped the use 
of chemical fertilizers and planted my Hollies in 
pure Oak Leafmold. Father did not deliver in those 
days, for there were no trucks. However, farmers 
often drove fifty miles or more to get our fertilizers. 
My hollies were planted in full view of all who 
drove in and some, who took pride in planting 
their home grounds, added a Holly or two to their 
loads. Thus a hobby turned into a business. But 
what a job it was to persuade those farmers that 
the fertilizer they had just bought for their farm 
crops would work adversely on their Hollies! 
All this happened over forty years ago and since 
then great advances have been made in Holly 
growing. Better stock has been developed and most 
Hollies are now sold by name. Nothing, though, 
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