The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-11
A HoLLY AND MISTLLTOE raven.
Two Georgia Young Women Raising Holt
day Eyergreens on a Large Scale.

Il think We have about the first and only
holly and miStletoe farm in the country, ~ in
the world, for that matter The speaker was
Miss Lucy Carteledge, tn" elder Of two Georgia
young women who three years ago began
to raise holly and mis,letoe for market
Il all started from my going TO New York to study
art My mother, who is my only living parent,
BY many s~acntccS finally saved enough money
for me- to make the venture did not achieve
much in the way Of art, but | learned what a big
world of smart people this is and how much |
had 10 improve before there was any chance Of
setting II afre with my hrilliancy Once con.
yiucel that | had little or no artistic ability, |
Sc, about to find some way To earn a living The
high price paid for holly and mistletoe in New
York city was one of many revelations and on
inquiry | found that the rrettiest pieces were
brought over from England This gave me an
idea and wrote home about it 0 my sister, who
Is a very practical person.
she began at once TO go over our five hundred
acres and cleared away the underbrush around
every holly tree and holy bush In some in.
stances with those around the house, She had
gone so far as 10 tim away all the dead lin rs
and have the earth about the roots enriched and
spadrd up IFgr the preservation Of the mistlr.
toe she cut off the muScadinc and lessamlne vines
climbing over every trpce where there was q SprIg
Of growing She also declared her intention
Of irving 10 plant III" seeds IN Ia" hullowN and
! forks 81 ud oaks. where she saw n chance OF their
taxing root and growing
During the next summer We had little tu 90
besides st and wait for what the autumn would
hnng forth, but This energetic sister 81 mine WHs
careful Ia see that no harm camt tu the numerous
little holly trees which she discovered about the
roots of the large trees, She stated that sha
intended ttanSplantlng them IN winter, and for
the first time We realized 1t might not l- Su,h
an easy matter to get q holly farm as We anti,l
, pGted, Negroes ARE :" snp"rNliuptS That II Is
almost impossible for n white ~ fSOn iu keep up
with the numerous queer things th"N believe
When our Did cook heard us talking about trans
/ planning young holly she was h. rrlNeu. and Toll
us II Wa lin" wort Kind II luck, and that Who
ever did It, the mluul" Va" bash grew and cast a
shadow large enough iu cover thtir grave they
would die We found III" superstition quite pen
| rrHl among the urgrurs. 81, Of course, We realized
nj uuce that none 4 them could be- Depended on
to plant our holly grove according tu th,Ir
advice the only way 10 obtain such trees was hv
placing a lot of berries, on a stump neal. where
We wished the tree and allow the wind TO blow
them. only fancy what n stupid idea Still
il was most serious 10 Ms, as We were entirely
dependent on them as !aburprs.
However. our first harvest came before trans
planting time. As soon as the berries were sui.
| iciently grown 10 Judge of We sent specimens
on to several firms in Washington and New York
NlmoSt by return mail We received surprisingly
large orders. but ut different prices. The best
came from the Washington firm which supplies
the White House. Vt Christmas v" found two
I ilSllnCl ETAlpS tI 0'llN IVNN'llFN Fflf'FF!
from trees around tho house, which had been
trimmed and fortified, were NOR" beautiful than
the others. The foliage was richer and the hcr
rips larger, more numerous and very much more
brilliant Ny sister fanCiad the same improve.
men, was H. he observed in tho miStetoe, but We
finally decided that the most beautiful specimens
ol this were taken from post oak trees, Md now,
! after three years eNr rrieuCe, We consider II q 'aCl
our profits for the first year wrr" gratifying.
/ AMI ~ soon rs thorr was suirci'ntCold to send he
sap Gown into the roots II the trees "" TrAu
Our tranSplurtinP But 10 YOU know my sister
and I We're compelled TO do il with orr own hands
The negroes Yould dig the holes and put in the
Fertilizer. but when II came actually ~ planting
the little trrcs We had ~ do hint ourselves We
worked early and late all drrnE The months
~ January and February md managed to set
out ten acres ~ holly This last season We cut
out every other un" II those young trees and sold
them As christmas rees They were well SHAPED
had fine foliage. with large, ri,h berries. -. ~
course. they brought the VERY best price For our
mistlrtua wr select old oRk trees. preferably post
oaks. and iusert we'll ripcnrd berries under tho
bark in the fork ur hollow, where they will hPNa
n Chauc" ~ CrrminHie md catch hold. Just
hup uII M" plant has IN h." before II hpRr, berries
we hive not been able 10 decide ~ yet
This last season ~" ADDED Ia our farm ~
duets by shipping quantities ~ hHmhun md
/ christmas berry vines In the north the hamNup
II known aS the Southern sUilaN, mud makes a
rhRrming lee ration We have no ~tTouIl' in
getting orders Tor oar gools, and rs our farm
is on n trunk line railroad shipment il easy We
first began by Grating now We simply PACK the
Trees and branches IN the RAILROAD cars and they
~ straight through 10 their destination"