Taxus III 



60 or 70 years, and they were then apparently as tall as they are now, but not so 

 much spread out. I cannot accurately estimate their height and girth, but they are 

 the two largest upright yews I have seen." 



At Brockhill,^ Worcester, there are two large Irish yews, estimated by Mr. Lees 

 to have been at least 100 years old. Very handsome specimens are also growing at 

 Montacute House, Somerset. 



The Irish yew is very effective as a garden tree, but requires pruning and wiring 

 every two or three years in order to keep it in good shape. There is at Colesborne 

 a terrace planted on both sides with Irish yews about 50 years ago, which are kept 

 in shape by wire, and when so treated are of very uniform growth and habit. 



Taxus fastigiata aurea is a form of the Irish yew, in which the young shoots 

 are golden yellow. In Taxus fastigiata argentea the tips of the branchlets are white. 



2. Var. Chesthuntensis. 



Taxus baccata Chesthuntensis^ Gordon, Pinet. Suppl. 98 (1862). 



This was raised by William Paul of the Cheshunt Nursery from a seed of the 

 Irish yew, which it resembles. The branches, however, are ascending, but not 

 so erect as in the parent form. The leaves have an acute apex, and resemble in 

 colour those of the Irish yew, being dark green and shining on the upper surface ; 

 they are broader and shorter than those of the common yew. It is less formal than 

 the Irish yew, and is said to grow twice as fast. 



3. Var. elegantissima. This was raised, according to Barron,^ by Fox of the 

 Wetley Rock Nurseries, who had an Irish and a golden yew growing together, 

 from which this came as a seedling. It is generally a dense compact shrub, but 

 forms occur which are more open in habit. The leaves are usually radially spread- 

 ing, but are often two -ranked on some of the branchlets; they are long, and 

 terminate gradually in a long, fine cartilaginous point. Young leaves are golden 

 yellow ; adult leaves have white margins. 



4. Var. erecta. 



Taxus baccata erecta, Loudon, loc. cit. 2068 (1838). 

 Taxus baccata Crowderi, Gordon, Pin. Suppl. 98 (1862). 

 Taxus baccata stricta, Hort. 



A dense broad shrub with erect and ascending branches. The leaves are dark 

 green, shining, short, and acute ; and are usually radially arranged, but often on the 

 lower branchlets are disposed in two ranks. 



The Nidpath Yew* resembles this variety, but is more columnar in habit, with 

 a tendency to spread at the top. The leaves, as seen on a shrub at Kew, are 

 bluish green, and usually are all radially arranged. 



A variety named imperialis is described as being a slender, tall form with 

 ascending branches and dark green leaves. 



' Trans. Worcester Nat. Hist. Club, 1 847 -1 896, p. 211. 



' Gard. Chron. 1868, p. 921. Veitch's Manual, ist ed. 302, states that it was introduced by Messrs. Fisher, Son, and 

 Sibray of the Handsworth Nurseries, near Sheffield. ^ Nicholson, Did. of Gardening, iv. 12. 



