BROAD ROUND-HEADED TREES. 89 



qualities in the way of coloui';, and from theii' rapidity of 

 gi'owtli are often extremely useful. 



Of broad-headed ever^-eens, the Yew is one of the finest 

 of our native trees. It is of a spreading habit and low 

 stature, seldom attaining to a considerable size on a lawn 

 till it is of gi'eat age. ^lany of the yews in oiu' pleasure- 

 gi'ounds are probably the remains of hedges, or trees that 

 have escaped the shears of the topiaiy aitist, these having 

 been his principal material in old times. It must be 

 admitted that the yew is less valuable for its form than 

 for its colour. The same remark apphes to the Ilea: or 

 Evergreen Oak, which, however, is of some importance 

 for its foreign air, being the best representative of the 

 oHve which we have in this country. " In the wanner 

 parts of England and Ireland," says Loudon (and we 

 may add, in Scotland), " the ilex forms a bushy evergreen 

 tree exceeding the middle size. The general appearance 

 of the species, even when well grown, is that of an im- 

 mense bush. It should be planted in the more orna- 

 mental woods of the park, as well as in the dressed 

 grounds; and it forms an interesting variety in the 

 shi'ubbeiy." 



The Cedar of Lebanon is at once a very celebrated and 

 a veiy admirable tree. Its great breadth, its ascending 

 trunk, or more frequently nimierous ti-unk-hke limbs, 

 and its tabulated, hoiizontally- spreading secondary 

 branches, aU contribute to give it a very unusual and 

 striking configiu-ation. It harmonizes finely with the 

 level architectural lines of the mansion-house and ter- 

 races, and seems to repeat them in aerial perspective. 

 It contrasts well with all other sorts of trees ; it also 

 makes up striking groups in the park and dressed 

 grounds. We regard it as a matter of regret that, in 



