The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-12-22
THE MISTLETOE.
(By Robertus Love-

When you step under the sprig OF
mistletoe to get your Christmas kiss
you may not be particularly interest
ed in the genesis of the peculiar lit
tie vegetable growth which Cupid
seems to have appropriated for his
own. Nevertheless the process of
mistletoe production and reprodue-
ton is highly interesting
In some parts of England, where
most of the mistleuoe OF Christmas
time comes from, the gardeners prop
agate 1tffe parasite artihcially. Mistle-
toe, as is we'll known, is OF the para
.site kind, taking its substance not
from the ground, but from a tree. The
apple tree seems to be its favorite
though the hawthorn, the lime and
the poplar frequently carry the para
site
The scientific inocculation of trees
with the rnistletoe growth is prac
ticed with excellent results In the
north of England. The gardner takes
between his thumb and forefinger one
of the. little berries o fine mistletoe,
brushes it so that its sticky juice
bozes out and and sticks it upon the
surface of a branch of the tree
Usually he selects young branch,
On which the bark is soft and easily
penetratable. II an older branch be
chosen, the bark is slightly scraped.
on the surface The berry IS mas had
Tat against the bark. The seed which
il eontains is thus held in place by
IS. own gum.
Late April or May is the proper
2ason ibr inoculating. TT led
soon sends through the bark q little
"feeler' or root, and a small twig,
lending in toward the branch OF tbs
rec, appears.
After a considerable period this
| twig, which looks like a small fish
look sticking in the tree from tI5
top of the hook, falls off The unin-
itiated thinks it is all over, but the
experienced gardner knows. better.
He knows that after time the
branch will begin to swell at the
point of incubation, gradually rising
TO little peak at the place where the
| hook has been. The tip gets green
and shiny, bud pushes up, and in
| a few weeks an unanistakable twig
IL ~,
and long leaf. or two.
After this the mistletoe comes
rapidly into its kingdom and takes
! possession. The chose observer will
see other little swellings and peaks
| along the branch, the thin roots OF
the mistletoe having Travelled undeq.
the bark to sprout out ia fresh plac-
es.
Thus it travels along until some
times the whole tree is in IFS posses
sion, fine branches of the Christmas
hanger growing abundantsy.
When once tire n1istletoe takes pos
session OF a fruit tree the effect up
on the fruit is quite noticeable The
mistletoe takes its nourishanent
from the tree TO which it clings. That
| is. the soil in which its roots live and
thrive. Naturally this reduces the
amount OF substance which formal
| ~ went INTO tine fruit. II the captive
be an apple tree, the apples become
small and scraggly. Tire mistetoe
has stolen away their sweetness ard
IpIiimpness- Man grows by what he
feeds on. So does the mistletoe. And
las the pork ealing man visits the
lpenalfy Of death UPON the pig $,
docs the penalty of withering and
Isouring fall npon the apple whose
progenitor feeds the spreading para
site. Nature is full of wonders.
land the growth Of n1istietoe Is ons.
Iof the most wonderful when adequate
lIy studied
MistIetoe grows naturally III part :
liz England and scofisssd, being pro-
lpaeated ~ birds In sorue III the
Inortheirrln counties of Seoflznd 10 mis-
ltletoe i foupd This Ii sei IS
lbe dne Is The absence q de mfssle
trrsh fr0 ~ counfi<s - frusli
liof til nt1ne i rxcees iuslt fsu1 81
I1h< mis1letoe b<rsy. llfser es1;se
|t1t f5ill d. bird Airs 10 s5apfner txee.
ase elranly ii uses tl,s branch 81
I1kc res pf(psl al,iicls II alisl afs for !