J 873-] NOTES ON HARDY CONIFERS. 445 



perpetual verdure of its foliage, which, conjointly with its great lon- 

 gevity, may be considered as emblematical of immortality." 



Having naturally a dense twiggy habit of growth, and as it may be 

 dipt or shorn into almost any shape with the greatest impunity, the 

 English Yew has few equals as a garden hedge-plant, and as such has 

 long been extensively used ; and in the days now happily passed away, 

 when it was fashionable to adorn gardens with shrubs cut into archi- 

 tectural forms, as well as into those of animals, and even man, its 

 patience under the knife was amply taken advantage of, producing some 

 of the most grotesque and intricate designs, with a solidity and sharp- 

 ness of outline superior to either Juniper or Box. 



From a long list of varieties we select the following as distinct, and 

 w^orthy the attention of planters of choice shrubs : — Yar. fastigiata, 

 well known as the Irish Yew, is so different in habit of growth, 

 foliation, and general appearance, that it is difficult to believe 

 that it is not a distinct species. This fine form was found in 

 the year 1780, growing among Juniper-bushes, on a mountain 

 near Benoughlin (Lord Enniskillen's estate) by a tenant, who 

 brought it to Florence Court ; and it is believed that from this 

 plant all those now in cultivation originated. Seeds saved from this 

 form rarely if ever yield anything else than the species, proving 

 satisfactorily that it is neither more nor less than one of these strange 

 sports which occur from time to time among many other plants. 

 It differs from the species in its erect columnar habit of growth ; 

 like that of the Lombardy Poplar, the leaves are disposed either 

 in tufts or scattered irregularly along the branches, instead of 

 in two rowsj and the berries, instead of being round, are dis- 

 tinctly oblong. Two beautiful variegations of this variety have 

 been introduced into cultivation, the one with its green leaves in- 

 termixed with w^hite, the other with bright yellow, and named 

 argentea and aurea respectively. Both, particularly the latter, are great 

 acquisitions, and though as yet comparatively rarely seen, will doubt- 

 less be extensively planted as soon as their merits become better 

 known. Yar. Cheshuntensis : this variety resembles the Irish Yew in 

 its close upright habit, but is more conical, with the branches more 

 dififuse ; it is said to have originated from seed saved from the Irish 

 Yew ; it is very distinct. Yar. Dovastonia : this sort is one of the 

 finest of the sports from the species ; the leaves are much longer, of a 

 dark glossy green, and the branches long and pendulous ; when the 

 main stem of this fine plant is trained carefully up, and the side 

 branches allowed to droop, it forms a beautiful lawn specimen-plant ; 

 it is sometimes grafted on stems of the common sort, and forms a neat 

 standard weeping shrub, with branches shooting out horizontally and 



