The Negro world., 1900-04-28
RAISING EvERGREENs.
A Holly and MistIetoe Raneh hA' In
Run by Two Georgia Young
Women.

aHd only nOily anu iuiStlSAVN
the country. or in the world. for that
matter" The speaker. says the Ne"
York Sun, was Miss Lucy Carteiedge,
the elder of two Georgia young wom-
en- who three years ago began TO raise
holly and mistletoe for market. 1t all
started from my going to New York
to study art My mother, who is my
only living parent, by many sacri-
| fees finally saved enough money for
me to make the venture. i did not,
achieve much in the way of art, but
| learned what big world of smart
people this is and how much ] had to
/ improve before there was any chance
of setting ii afire with my brilliancy.
Once convinced that | had little or
no artistic ability. | set about to
find some way to earn living The
high price paid for holly and mistle-
| toe in New York city was one OF
many revelations and on inquiry
/ found that the prettiest pieces were
| brought over from England. This gave
me an idea. and | wrote home about il
TO nv sister. who is a very practical
person.
"She began at once TO go over our
500 acres and cleared away the under
brush around every holly tree and
holly bush. In some instances with
those around the house she had gone
so far as TO trim away all the dead
limbs and have the earth about the
roots enriched and spaded up For
the preservation of the mistletoe she
cut of the muscadine and jessamine
vines climbing over every tree where
there was a sprig of il growing.
She also declared her intention of
trying to plant the seeds in the hol-
lows and forks of old oaks, where she
saw chance of their taking root and
growing.
During the next summer we had
little 10 do besides sit and wait for
what the autumn would bring FORTH
but this energetic sister Of mine was
careful to see that no harm came TO
the numerous little holly trees which
she discovered about the roots of the
large trees. She stated that she in-
tended to transplant them in winter.
and for the first time we realized it
might not be such an easy matter to
get a holly farm as we anticipated.
Negroes are so superstitious that it
is almost impossible for a white per-
son TO keep up with the numerous
queer things they believe. When our
old cook heard MS talking about trans
planting young holly she was horri-
fed, and told us IL was the worst kind
| I,f kaK r.-hA IsH ka
minute the bush grew and cast
shadow large enough to cover their
grave they would die. We found the
superstition quite general among the
negroes. so. of course, we realized at
once that none of them could be de-
pended on to plant our holly grove.
According 70 their advice the only
way to obtain such trees was by plac-
ing a lot of berries on a stump near
Were we wished the tree and allow
lie wind to blow them. Only fancy
what a stupid ideal Still it was most
serious to us. as we were entirely de-
pendent on them as laborers.
However our first harvest came be-
fore transplanting time. AS soon as
the berries were sufficiently grown to
judge of we sent specimens on to
several firms in Washington and New
York. Almost by return mail we re-
ceived surprisingly large orders, but
at different prices. The best came from
the Washington firm which supplies
the white house. At Christmas we
found two distinct grades of holly.
Branches gathered from trees around
the house. which had been trimmed
and fertilized. were more beautiful
than the others. The foliage was
richer and the berries larger, more
numerous and very much more brill
liant. My sister fancied the same i'm
provement was to be observed in the
mistletoe. but we finally decided that
the most beautiful specimens of this
were taken from post-oak trees. And
now. after three years experience. we
consider il fact
'Our profits for the first year were
gratifying, and as soon as there was
sufficient cold to send the sap down
into the roots of the trees we began
our transplanting. But do you know
my sister and | were compelled to do
| IL WIN OhA ONfh hN
would dig the holes and put in the
| fertilizer. but when il came actually
to planting the little trees we had TO
do that ourselves. We worked early
and late during the months of Jam
uary and February and managed to
set out ten acres of holly. This past
season we cut out every other one of
these young trees and sold them as
Christmas trees. They were well
shaped. had fine foliage. with large,
rich berries. so of course they
brought the very best prices. For our
mistletoe we select old oak trees.
preferably post-oaks, and insert WELL
ripened berries under the bark in
the fork hollow. where they win have
a chance TO germinate and catch hold.
Just how old the plant has to be be-
fore IL bears berries we have not been
able to decide as yet.
This last season we added TO our
farm products by shipping quantities
of bamboo and Christmas berry
vines. In the north the bamboo is
known as the southern smilax. and
makes charming decoration. We
have no trouble in getting orders for
our goods. and as our farm is on a
|