May 10, r.'l'< 



HOHT1CULTURE 



443 



THE VALUABLE JAPANESE YEW 



At the end of another winter the Japanese yew, 

 Taxus cuspidata, maj -till be considered "tic of the most 

 desirable evergreens for gardens In the colder parts of 

 the country. It has been said, with considerable au- 

 thority, thai this is the most valuable plant which Japan 

 has given to New England. Certainly it is worthy more 

 extensive use. as it is exceedingly decorative and not at 

 all out ol' place in a formal garden. Apparently there 

 are several distinct forms. One of the prettiest has a 

 spreading top and grows as a large, vase-shaped hush. 

 A form is grown in some American nurseries as the 

 variety capitata. It has a single leader and a tree-like 

 habit, making it desirable for those who want an up- 

 right rather than a hush-shaped yew. The variety com- 

 pacts is the smallest and most compact form found here. 

 It is said that the largest Japanese yew to he found in 

 the country is growing on Long Island, where it was 

 planted by Dr. Ceorge E. Hall in 1S70. The adapta- 

 bility of the Japanese yew may he judged from the fact 

 that it has been reported hardy in both New Hampshire 

 and Minnesota. It may be grown with perfect confi- 



dence in sections where the English yew (Taxus bac- 

 cata) and the native yew (Taxus Canadensis) are badly 

 browned in cold winter.-. 



There should also be a word of appreciation for the 

 Japanese fir called Aim's homolepis or A. brachyphylla, 

 as it is perhaps more commonly known. This is one 

 of the few good conifers adapted to the climate of New 

 England and is almost, as handsome as the splendid 

 white fii" of the western North America, Abies con- 

 color. Its dark green leaves arc silvery white on the 

 lower surface and it has violet purple cones. There are 

 specimens 55 feet high in the pinetum on the Hunne- 

 well place at YYelleslcv and as the branches sweep the 

 ground, they are most imposing objects. In Japan the 

 tree is said to grow Km feet tall and E. H. Wilson 

 says that the mature trees resemble old specimens of 

 the ( Vdars of Lebanon. The Japanese fir is a most ex- 

 cellent plant for the decoration of American gardens 

 and is to be appreciated because of its hardy nature, as 

 well as its remarkable beauty. 



Good Specimen of Japanese Yew 



