940 



ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 



1761. 2'. b. fostigikta 



by its upright mode of growth, and deep green leaves, which are 

 not in ranks like those of the common yew, but scattered. All the 

 plants of this variety in cultivation are of the female sex ; and the 

 fruit is oblong, and not roundish, as in the common variety. 

 ** T. b. 3 procumbens. T. procumbens Lodd. Cat. ed. 1836. Low 

 and somewhat trailing. 



* T. b. 4? erecta. The upright Yew. A seedling from T. b. fastigiata, in 



which the leaves are 2-ranked as in the common yew, but the 

 branches take an upright direction as in the Irish yew. 



* T. b. 5 sparsifolia Hort. Leaves scattered. 



* T. b. 6 foliis variegatis Lodd. Cat. ed. 1836. Leaves variegated with 



whitish yellow. It is seldom found higher than a large shrub. 



* T. b. 1 fructo luteo. Fruit yellow. The tree does not differ, either 



in its shape or foliage, from the common yew ; but, when covered 

 with its berries, it forms a very beautiful object, especially when con- 

 trasted with yew trees covered with berries of the usual coral colour. 

 There are fine trees of this variety at Clontarf Castle, near Dublin. 



The yew is of slow growth ; but, in favourable situations, it will attain the 

 height of 6 or 8 feet, or more, in 10 years from the seed. In 20 years, it will 

 attain the height of 15ft., and it will continue growing for 100 years ; after 

 which it becomes comparatively stationary, but will live for many centuries. 

 When drawn up by other trees, or by being planted in masses, it takes some- 

 what the character of a fir ; and may be found, thus circumstanced, with a 

 clear trunk 30 or 40 feet high. It stoles when cut down under 20 or 30 years 

 of age, but rarely when it is older. In a wild state the yew affords food to 

 birds by its berries ; and an excellent shelter to them during severe weather, 

 and at night, by its dense evergreen foliage, but no insects live on it. By man, 

 the tree has been applied to various uses, both in a living state, and when 

 felled and employed as timber. The wood is hard, compact, of a fine and 

 close grain, flexible, elastic, splitting readily, and incorruptible. It is of a 



