From George Paul   22 January 1877

Sir

When staying with Mr friend Mr Charles Fisher of Handsworth Sheffield—he recently told me he had completed a list from careful observation of those kinds of the many varieties of Hollies grown by the firm (Fisher Holmes & Co) which produced fertile flowers¹ and he showed me some new seedling varieties of the large leaved green hollies which he believed had resulted from the judicious side by side planting of different varieties the distinctive characters of which he wished to produce united on one plant.

It appeared to me, more especially in some hybrids? of ovata & nobilis he had attained success.²

I venture to write you thinking the matter may interest you. and to suggest that Mr Fisher though perhaps? not caring to give the information to another nurseryman would give you for scientific work his list.

The varieties with which he has worked are amongst those recently described by Mr Thos Moore in the Gardeners Chronicle.³

May I mention that at our Hill Nursery in Epping forest the yellow berried hollies were berry laden whilst the red berried kinds were very without berries.⁴ Is it not possible the yellow berried kind is a later flowering kind & so escaped the spring frost.

I also notice that in two rows of specimen hollies—2 plants of a very erect quick growing kind which had overtopped the others, have both a few berries near the tops of the plants but none up to the same level where the other plants are berryless.

I am Sir | Yours obedly | George Paul