The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-11

yes. think we have about the first and
only holly and mistletoe farm In the eoun-
try, or in the world. for that natter The
speaker was Miss Lucy CarteIedce the
elder of the two young women who three
years ago began to raise holly and mistie-
toe for market
You ask how 1t began-the farm. yos,
mean? Why. 1t all started from my going
to New York to study art. My mother, who
is my only living parent, by many sac
rfces. finally saved enough money for ma
to make the venture. l did not achieve
much in the way of art, but I learned
what big world of smart people this Is
! and how much | had to improve before
there was any chance of setting It afire
with my brilliancy. Once convinced that
| had little or no artistic ability, I set
about to find some way to earn living
The high price paid for holly and mistletoe
in New York city was one of many reve-
lations, and on enquiry 1 found that the
| prettiest pieces were brought over from
England. This gave me an idea and 1
wrote home about it to my sister. who is
| 4 very practical person.
| 'She began at once to go over cur FIVE
| hundred acres and cleared away the un-
| derbrush 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 shaded
For the preservation Of the mistletoe
she cut off the muscadine and jessamine
| vii 81 r,1hj inc traa xt,ba
was a sprig of it growing. She also declared
| her intention of trying to plant the seeds In
| the hollows and forks of old oaks where
| she saw chance OF it's taking root and
| growing.
| During the next summer we had little
| to do besides sit and wait for what the au-
| tumn 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 ROOFS
of the large trees. She stated that she in
| tended transplanting them in winter and
for the first time We realized it might not
be such an easy matter to get a holly
farm we anticipated.
Negroes are SO superstitious that Ii is
almost impossible for a white person to
keep up with the numerous queer things
they believe. When our old cook heard
us talking about transplanting young hollyS
she vas Mortified and told US it was the
worst kind of luck, and that whoever did
it, the minute the bush grew and cast
shadow large enough TO cover their grave,
they would die. We found the supersti-
ton quite general among the negroes. SO,
of course. we realized at once that none
of them could be depended on to plant orr
holly grove. According to their advice, the
only way to obtain such trees was b. piac-
ing a lot of berries on stump near where
We wished the tree and allow the wind
to blow them. Only fancy what stupid
idea, Still, it was most serious to us. as
we were entirely dependent on them as la
borers.
However, our first harvest came before
trarsplanting 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 re-
turn mail we received surprisingly large
orders, but at different prices. The best
came from the Washington firm which sup
plies the White House
AT Christmas we found there were two
distinct grades of holly. Branches gath
cred from trees around the house. which
had been trimmed and fertilzed were
more beautiful than the others. The foliage
was richer and the berries larger, more
numerous, and very much more brilliant.
My sister fancied the same Improvement
was to be observed in the mistletoe, but We
finally decided that tie most beautiful
specimens of this were taken from post
oak trees And now. after three years ex-
perience, We still consider it a fact.
Our profits for the first year were
gratifying. and as soon as there was sufh-
cieut Geld to send the sap down into the
roots OF the trees We began our trans
planting. But do you know my sister and
We're compelled to do it with our own
hands. The negroes would dig the holes
and put in the fertilizer. but when it
came to actually planting the little trees
we had to do that ourselves We worked
early and late all during the months of
January 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 price.
For our mistletoe we select old oak
trees, preferably post-oaks. and insert well
ripened berries under the bark in the
fork or hollow. where they will have &
chance to terminate and catch hold. Just
how old the plant has to be before it 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 a charming decoration.
I'VE have no trouble in getting orders
for our goods, and as our farm is on a
trunk line railroad shipment is easy. We
first began by Grating; now We simply
pack the trees and branches in the rail-
road cars and they go straight through
to THAR dastination"