Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-16

being found in the eastern part and
five in the western part.
Deep green leaves which are
armed with spines along the margin
distinguish Christmas Holly, The
lIeaves are so bright that they often
l reflect light as mirrors. The small
| bright red berries are also a helpful
means OF identification in fall and in
winter. An old manuscript in the
| British Museum states that the
"Holy hath berys as red as any
rose" Deyout people regard the
leaves of the Holly as symbol Of the
Saviour's crown of thorns.
UNFORTUNATELY the methods Of COL
1ecting tho branches is very de-
structive. In many instances the tops
of the trees are cut out completely.
leaving nothing but an erect bare
trunk. We need the holly sprig for
| decorative purposes at Christmas. but
in order that future supply may be
insured. special steps must be taken
at once to regulate the cutting in
such way that all the existing trees
may continue to produce annually an
abundant supply of thrifty branch
lets.
1.-THE American Holly, also called
| Christmas Holly, and the closely re-
| lated European Holly, are linked with
our Christmas traditions. Many
| people are familiar with the holly
leaves and berries, but few of them
know that they grow upon trees
which are common in the coastal
plain regions of the South and found
locally as far north as Pennsylvania
southern Maine. While the Christ
mas Holly may reach height Of so
feet and diameter of to feet in
Arkansas and Texas. it rarely exceeds
20 feet in height and few inches in
diameter in the extreme northern
part of its natural range.
"Of course, nobody, particularly the
young folk, wants to miss Mistletoe.
It is the only parasitic plant that is
used at Christmas time. 1t is some
times called tree thief. for it gets
all its nourishment from the trees
upon which it lives. In the South
one may see thousands of trees liter
ally festooned with the Mistletoe. 1t
sometimes grows in the form of
witch's broom. or one may see it
dangling down from the branches of
a tree in graceful array. 1t always
appropriates for its own development
the likelihood of the tree upon which 1t
feeds. Some four hundred species of
mistletoe are listed. Most of them
occur in the tropics, and nearly all of
them are parasitic. Many varieties
are found in the United States. They
occur from the coast of New Jersey
southwark and westward.
TN Oklahoma the Mistletoe has
been selected as the state flower. If
you question an Oklahoman about the
parasitic plant as state flower, he
is likely to answer that if man may
tap a Maple tree for syrup. and the
Pine tree for turpentine, it is fair for
the Mistletoe to tap trees so that it
may develop and become available
for decorative use. Examination of
the leaves of the Mistletoe Show they
are almost ncrveless, thick and
feshy, and a magnifying glass will
show only about 200 breathing pores
to the square inch, while in the COM
mon lilac there occurs at least 100000
breathing pores to The square inch.
Large quantities of Trailing Pine,
also known as Princess Pine, and
Ground Hemlock are used at Christ
mas time. These plants really are
not pines or hemlocks, but are closely
related to the ferns.
CAS- Christmas trees can be raised
at a profit. so it is also possible to
raise the Christmas Folly and the
Mistletoe by artificial means. In
that way an adequate supply may he
insured for the future, and all those
who contribute towards the develop
ing of successful methods of propa-
eating these plants will insure the
welfare and happiness of future gem
erations.