The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1908-12-19

ivy but little, in American decorations
at Christmas, since both plants are
exceedingly rare here. But in England
the use of the ivy at least is universal,
and the references to 1t in Christmas
song and story alone would fill a small
volume.
Besides its claim to appropriate
ness for the Christmas season which
it holds in common with other ever
green's, it has two especially strong
recommendations of its own. On ae-
count of it's habit of clinging strongly
to its supporting tree or wall, it is
a popular symbol of friendship and
fidelity, and as such, an excellent deco
ration for the season of good will and
universal brotherhood. And it was,
in Roman days, sacred to Bacchus,
who, when a baby was hidden by his
aunt. Ino, among its leaves, to save
him from Junos destructive wrath
Prynne says:
At Christmas men do always Ivy get
And in each corner of the house 1t set;
But why do they then use that Baeehus
weed2
Because they mean then Racchus-like to
feed.
This satirieal explanation was but
too true in the earlier days, when
Christmas lasted for weeks, and was
given over to revelry almost wholly
heather in character.
To-day. in America, the Christmas
decorations almost exclusively are of
holly, which, for all its popularity, is
less consecrated by legend than any
other holiday greenery. To be sure
we make a sparing use of the mistle-
toe, which, from the ancient Druidical
meaning of purity given to its wax
white berries, and from its use by
them in the marriage rite, has come
to give a charter for kissing as broad
as the wind" And We have added the
bitter-sweet, which has no traditional
Specification whatever, is not an
evergreen, and is to be tolerated
merely for its beauty's sake, and for
the slight suggestion it gives of the
holly berry.
Our American holly is said to be
less beautiful than the European
plant, having leaves of a duller green.
But, making all allowances for pos
sible disadvantages, it still is a re-
markably beautiful tree. And as a
symbol of the immortality which it is
the seasons special mission to teach,
E surely has no rival The leaves re-
main on the branches for three years,
losing their hold only when they are
pushed off at last by the growing buds
of spring.
Throughout England so little Is its
supremacy disputed, that 1t is popular
ly known as Christmas" just as the
hawthorn is called The May"
It's name has been matter of con-
siderable interest. Theophrastus and
other Greek authors named the plant
Agria; that is, wild, or of the fields
The Romans formed from this the
word Agrifolium and called it also
Aquifolium, from actum, sharp. and
folium, a leaf. Bauhin and Loureiro
first named it Hex, from the resemb-
lance of its leaves to those of the
Quereus Hex. a species of oak which
was the true Hex of Virgil. Linnaeus
adopted the name Hex for the genus,
and preserved the name Aquifolium
for the most anciently known species,
Our popular name, holly. probably
is a corruption of the word holy, as
Turner in his herbal calls ii holy, and
holy tree. The thorny foliage, and
the berries like drops Of bright blood,
could scarcely fail to remind a Chris
tian of the crown Of thorns. and this,
together with the universal use of the
plant in the churches at Christmas
easily would account for the name
In Germany it is known as Christ
dorm. The Danish name is Christorn
and the Swedish Christtorn The
same name, Christ's thorn, is found in
scme parts Of England But as no
legend connects the holly with the
crown of thorns, this name, universal
among the Germanic peoples, must be
merely the result of its appearance
and Of its Christmas popularity, as
before suggested.