THE IRISH YEW 259 



Virgil to accompany us on that rapid-flowing river 

 in June, 



When the distinguished Yew is ever seen, 

 Unchanged his branch, and permanent his green, 



and wring from him, perchance, some mitigating 

 expressions of his condemnations of a tree which, as 

 a feature in our landscape, although at times maybe 

 melancholy, is ever picturesque. 



Before quitting the subject of the Yew, brief 

 mention must be made of the so-called Irish Yew. 



THE IRISH YEW 

 T. Baccata var. Fastigiata 



O thicker, deeper, darker growing, 

 The solemn vista to the tomb. 



Whittier. 



It was some 1 50 years ago that our venerable Yew, 

 the glory of many a country-side, the joy of all the 

 Toxophilites, produced a female freak above Florence 

 Court (the Irish seat of Lord Enniskillen), in the 

 shape of an upright, fastigiate-shaped specimen of 

 its race, and clad in the more primitive garb of a 

 juvenile leaf. 



From her, by cuttings, since no male form of flower 

 has appeared on her boughs, all the Irish Yews of 

 to-day, so plentifully planted and seen everywhere, 

 have derived origin. They have been extensively 

 planted in churchyards, and often in avenue forma- 

 tion. 



As to scenic merits generally, their ideal place 



under the sun, how and where they should be planted, 



these are questions for individual tastes. Without 



venturing any myself, there is little doubt that 



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