70 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



the trunk is reduced to a shell. These old trees, with attendant 

 legends and associations, have been fully dealt with elsewhere.^ 

 Yews are widely planted in gardens and are grown in many ways. 

 The common yew is one of the best of all hedge-plants, for it 

 stands clipping well and is always neat. It is used for topiary 

 work and old specimens are still clipped into fantastic shapes in 

 some gardens, as they were a century ago. Such specimens are 

 to be seen at Elvaston Castle, Derby. 



The most satisfactory plants for hedges are those that produce 

 several erect branches from the base. Yews thrive in chalky 

 soil, on limestone formations, also on peat and light and heavy 

 loams. They may be transplanted at almost any period in open 

 weather from early September to early May. 



Large numbers of plants are raised from seeds sown in beds 

 out of doors, whilst the varieties are increased by cuttings placed 

 in sandy soil in frames during July and August, or by grafting in 

 spring upon stocks of the type previously established in pots. 

 Hedges and formal plants may be clipped in summer, the best 

 time being after the completion of growth in July or August. 

 All clippings must be carefully collected and burnt in order to 

 avoid injury to animals. Galls formed by clusters of leaves are 

 often found on the points of the shoots ; these are caused by the 

 mite Erwphyes taxi. 



Taxus brevifolia, Nuttall.^ 



A tree 15-50 ft. high or occasionally taller with sUghtly pendent 

 branches. Leaves shorter and more abruptly pointed than in 

 T. baccata, |-| in. long, terminating in a bristly point, reduced at 

 the base to a distinct stalk, dark yellowish-green above, paler 

 beneath. Male floivers much smaller than in T. baccata. Seed 

 ovoid, up to about | in. long with a scarlet aril. 



Native of W. North America, where it is widely distributed on 

 the banks of mountain streams and in deep ravines in British 

 Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. Although intro- 

 duced into cultivation in 1854 it is very rare in collections. 



Sargent, Silva oj North America, x, 65, t. 514 (1896). 



Taxus canadensis, Marshall. 



Taxus baccata, var. canadensis, Elwes and Henry. 



A shrub of straggling and often prostrate habit. Buds small, 

 globose, with overlapping blunt, keeled scales. Leaves narrow, 

 curved, |-| in, long, tV-t^ in. wide, midrib slightly prominent 

 above, the apex abruptly pointed. Seed as in T. baccata. 



^ Lowe, Yew Trees of Great Britain and Ireland (1897); Dallimore, Holly, 

 Yew and Box (1908) ; Elwes and Henry, Trees of Great Brit, and Irel., i, 98 

 (1906). 



2 NuttaU, Sylv. iii, 80, t. 108 (1849). 



