Poisonous effects on animals 149 



' Further and extended chemical researches, in 

 conjunction with physiological experiments, are 

 necessary to clear up the matter.' 



Evelyn remarks : * * I marvel there are no more 

 such effects of it, both horses and other cattle being- 

 free to browse on it, where it naturally grows.' 



On inquiring of a very intelligent resident at 

 Tintern whether cattle suffered from eating the 

 yew, so abundant in the vicinity, he replied that 

 they never ate sufficient to injure them unless it 

 was cut. And an old shepherd on Box Hill told 

 me that his cows frequently ate the leaves of this 

 tree, but never took any harm from it, as they 

 were turned out daily, and therefore never took a 

 hurtful quantity. 



When they have been shut up, and especially 

 when the ground is covered with snow, the result 

 is very different, as they eat greedily of the only 

 green thing visible. Thus in January 1823, in a 

 deep snow, Messrs. Woodward and Chelmsford 2 

 turned out three healthy horses into a small close, 

 adjoining which was a yew-tree. In three hours 

 they were found dead with yew in their stomachs. 



' Master Wells, minister at Adderbury, seeing 

 some Boyes breaking Boughs from the Yew tree 

 in the churchyard, thought himself much injured. 

 To prevent the like Trespasses, he sent one pre- 

 sently to cut downe the tree and to bring it in . . . 



1 Sylva, 1812, p. 266. 2 Withering. 



