with four tiny stamens surrounding it. There is no 
powdery pollen on these. 
The male flowers grow in larger clusters to a stem, 
up to nine or more. The four tiny stamens are crowned 
with powdery pollen. 
If you have a Holly which blooms but does not bear 
berries, examine the flowers to determine the sex. If a 
female and it does not bear berries it may be a shy 
producer or there may be no male plant in the vicinity 
to supply pollen for the bees. 
American Holly, Hex opaca, will not pollinate Eng- 
lish Holly, Ilex aquifolium, nor the black berried vari- 
eties. American Holly blooms on new wood and the 
English on old wood. 
The American Holly is the most reliable hardy 
species of the red berried, prickly leaved, evergreen 
hollies. Ours are especially selected from northern 
trees and are being grown successfully as far North 
as) Butlalo, Nw Y. 
AS HOUSE PLANTS ... Small Hollies will do well 
in the house for some months if not over heated or 
permitted to become too dry. Choose a cool spot with 
little or no sun. 
LOCATION .. . Holly is outstanding in its beauty in 
cold weather when most plants have dropped their 
leaves. This suggests placing them where they can be 
seen from a window and will enhance the winter view. 
Hollies make hedges of great beauty affording pri- 
vacy and protection from noise. For formal hedges set 
the plants four to five feet apart, cut the leaders at 
least once a year and cut the side branches back to 
control the shape. For untrimmed hedges set the plants 
eight to twelve feet apart. 
As specimen plants Hollies are superb at entrances 
and many other places. Don’t use them in foundation 
plantings where they may cover a window. 
AS A PROFITABLE CROP .. . Great opportunity 
exists even on small properties to plant choice Hollies 
from which to cut branches for sale at Christmas. For 
access to all sides of the tree they should be at least 
twenty feet apart. It will be nine or ten years before 
you will want to cut a tree much for indoor decoration. 
SUN OR SHADE .. . Uncounted millions of wild 
Holly trees grow in the shade of oak and other decidu- 
ous forest trees from Massachusetts to Florida and 
West. Here the decaying leaves, moisture, summer 
shade and spring sun are favorable for the germination 
of the seed and the survival of the baby plants. The 
finest specimens, however, are always found where they 
