potting mixture of pure leafmold is often used, although some growers prefer mixtures 
of sand, leafmold and earth. These potted cuttings will not grow any foliage until the 
following spring, and look for all the world like a couple of leaves placed in a pot. When 
they have attained a full year’s growth during the following summer, they are all of 
eighteen months old and ready for their first age of sale. Much watering, weeding and 
“fussing over’’ have gone on in between. 
The next stage of growth finds the baby Hollies in larger pots or in coldframes or beds. 
They are generally left there for two years and then moved either into field rows or, if 
destined for plant market sale, are planted in wire baskets full of leafmold. They may be 
so grown in the basket until they are five or six feet high; then, because of the large 
size of the root, they must be planted out in the fields. Very often a “well” is dug for 
each tree, and pure leafmold is placed in this “well all around the roots of the tree. When 
dug again, few roots have strayed beyond the leafmold, and the tree hardly knows it 
has been moved. 
Trees spaced wide apart are often allowed to grow up into orchards with an eye 
to the Christmas cut Holly trade. 
GROWING HOLLY ORCHARDS FOR CHRISTMAS GREENS 
Selection of the orchard location is important. Orchards planted too far north will 
be slow in reaching commercial harvesting age. Orchards planted too far south often 
grow so rapidly that the cut foliage is ‘stringy’ and unattractive. As the berries are 
formed first in the growing period, too warm a climate causes a tremendous amount of un- 
berried wood to grow beyond the berries. This overbalanced type of foliage commands a 
very low price in the markets. 
Water table height and frost incidence are also very important. In any area, Hollies 
which can put their roots down and reach water will grow with twice the vigor and color 
of those which often become dry during the growing season. Areas which do not normally 
grow good fruit crops also often fail to grow good Holly berry crops because the late spring 
frosts freeze the bloom. As Holly generally blooms in May, areas with frosts common 
to this month should be avoided. 
Holly orchards are often considered costly to set out, as trees of at least a two-foot 
height should be used. Many orchardists lessen the original cost by buying one-year old trees. 
They then grow these little trees for several years in a well tended coldframe. This method 
is much more economical and fun, too. Holly orchards are very profitable when bearing, 
but are a long range project. Usually twelve to sixteen years are required before the 
first really profitable Holly crop is harvested. Well planted and cared for orchards should 
yield profitable crops for more than a hundred years. Most orchards are planted either 
by fathers for their sons, or by businessmen who seek a retirement income and a hobby 
meantime. 
Because of the long range nature of a Holly orchard project, it is of vital importance 
that good varieties of orchard trees be selected. One of the best ways to insure satisfac- 
tion is to visit the nursery where the orchard varieties are grown and to observe the 
various parent trees. Note whether the sprays lie flat and would box well, whether they 
are suitable for tips, boquets, etc. Observe the parent for at least two berrying seasons 
to determine the quality and quantity of berries that it bears. The offspring will have 
habits identical to the parent tree. Most orchards are planted to two or three varieties 
so that if one strain ever misses a year of bearing, the others will likely continue pro- 
duction. This insures against crop failure on any one year and also provides the oppor- 
tunity to sell boxed Holly under several advertised strains. Some varieties are more 
popular cut into tips; others to long sprays. 
Most orchards are set out spaced either sixteen by sixteen feet, or twenty by sixteen 
feet. Space is needed between the grown trees so that harvesting, fertilizing, spraying and 
mowing may be accomplished easily. The trees are usually planted in sour black earth, 
peat or Oak Leafmold to the extent of at least four bushels to the tree. A bulky fertilizer 
(such as tobacco stems and old cow manure mixed half and half) is helpful in building up 
light soils. Periodic applications of fertilizer should follow to maintain dark green foliage. 
While the Hollies are young and pliable, a pruning program should be undertaken to form 
them to desired shape. The orchard should be kept in good sod, and mowed when needed 
during the year. 
Returns of forty dollars per year per tree are not uncommon for mature Orchard Hollies. 
Few occupations are as fascinating or as unexploited. The demand for Holly is far 
in excess of the supply. Unlike the get-rich-quick schemes of these prosperous times, Holly 
orcharding requires men with a belief in the future of the nation and with more than the 
usual patience. To succeed, you must own or buy suitable land, hire aq man or 
men to tend the orchard and must have the hard-headed business ability to see that the 
work is done right. You must have the faith in yourself that will sustain you during the 
long period while the trees are growing to maturity. It is an unusual challenge—do you 
accept it? If you do, you may someday be wealthy. 
