580 TAXUS 



the conversion of this country to Christianity, yews were, no doubt, sacred 

 trees, and the Druids erected their temples near them. The early Christians 

 made a practice of building their churches on sites previously held sacred 

 by the Britons, and thus perpetuated that association of the yew with religious 

 edifices which has lasted until now. Many famous yews are scattered over 

 the country to which space does not admit of reference. The tree is probably 

 capable of attaining to a greater age than the oak. The noted yews of 

 Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire were large enough for the monks to shelter 

 and worship under whilst the abbey was being built, nearly 800 years ago. 

 The oldest yew in Britain is supposed to be the Fortingal yew in Perthshire, 

 its perfectly hollow trunk 17 ft. in diameter near the ground. 



A peculiar mystery is attached to the poisonous quality the yew is known 

 to possess, owing to its uncertain and apparently capricious effects. One 

 may go into parks where yews are standing, and see them eaten off by 

 cattle up to the grazing line as other trees are, and yet no case of poisoning 

 heard of; on the other hand, deaths of horses, cattle, and calves turned into 

 fresh fields where they were able to get at yew bushes have occurred so often 

 as to leave no doubt that the yew is poisonous". It appears as if the poison 

 acts only on certain states of the stomach. In my opinion it is more virulent 

 when the stomach is empty, perhaps only then. It also appears that semi- 

 dried twigs and foliage are more dangerous than green ones, and it has been 

 surmised that the male tree is more poisonous than the female. The poison 

 does not appear to be of an acrid or irritant nature, but brings about death 

 rather by arrest of the heart's action. Neither the Canadian nor the 

 Himalayan yew is known to be poisonous. The red fleshy cup that surrounds 

 the seeds is frequently eaten by children without ill effects, but the seeds 

 themselves contain the alkaloid known as taxine that is found in the leaves, 

 and may be the principle that has caused so many fatalities. 



The yew bears clipping exceptionally well, and on that account makes 

 excellent evergreen hedges. It is also the best, frequently the only tree 

 used for topiary work, i.e. training and clipping into formal and fantastic 

 shapes. The most remarkable examples in this country are at Levens Castle, 

 in Westmoreland, and at Elvaston Castle, in Derbyshire. The Levens trees 

 were planted about two hundred years ago, and have been annually clipped 

 ever since a remarkable testimony to the adaptability and vitality of 

 the yew. 



The tree is an extremely hardy one, and is adapted to almost any soil, but 

 like most trees is best suited on a good loam. It is one of the best evergreens 

 for calcareous soils. Common yew is mostly raised from seed which, collected 

 when ripe in autumn, should be kept a year before sowing, mixed with sand or 

 soil and turned occasionally. Named varieties are easily raised from cuttings 

 of small shoots placed under a cloche in 'late July or August. There is now a 

 great number of varieties of yew cultivated, mostly of seedling origin; here 

 follows a selection of the most notable : 



Var. ADPRESSA. A very striking and handsome form that would be 

 considered a distinct species if its origin were not known. It is a wide- 

 spreading shrub of dense habit (female), with leaves only to \ in. long, 

 fe in. wide, abruptly pointed at the apex. According to the late Mr F. T. 

 D~ickson, it was found by his father in a bed of seedling yews about 1338, and 

 called by him "brevifolia" a name now in disuse, as it belongs rightly to 

 the Californian yew. 



Var. ADPRESSA AUREA. A very effective form, with golden young foliage, 

 which originated in the Handsworth Nurseries, Sheffield. ADPRESSA STRICTA 

 is of erect habit. 



Var, AUREA. Golden Yew. Habit compact; leaves golden yellow when 

 young, changing to green after autumn. 



Var. BARRONI. Leaves golden, becoming a rich coppery shade. 



