yew. 437 



from its sombre aspect it is well suited to tell " of graves, and 

 worms, and epitaphs." A custom still exists, it is said, in some 

 parts of Wales and Ireland, of carrying twigs of this and other 

 evergreens at funerals and throwing them into the grave with 

 the corpse. The bow being so important an engine of warfare 

 in early days, and the Yew being generally allowed to furnish 

 the best wood for that purpose, was highly valued, and various 

 laws were enacted respecting it from the time of Edward IV. to 

 that of Elizabeth. By a statute of the fifth year of Edward the 

 Third, every Englishman was directed to have a bow of his own 

 height, and the supply in this country being far too scanty, Yew 

 was largely imported from abroad. Every ship trading with 

 Venice was obliged to bring home ten bow-staves with every 

 butt of malmsey. 



The Yew is exceedingly long-lived, and often attains a pro- 

 digious magnitude. The Crowhurst Yew near Hastings is thirty 

 feet in circumference. The noble Yew in Fortingal church- 

 yard, at the entrance to Glen Lyon, measured according to Pen- 

 nant fifty-six feet and a half in circumference ; it still remains, 

 though reduced to a mere shell. In Cliefden woods there are 

 still more extraordinary remains of this tree ; and one called the 

 Hedsor Yew is said to measure twenty-seven feet in diameter. 



The Yew is very patient of the shears, and when the ancient 

 style of horticulture was in vogue, it was clipped into all sorts 

 of shapes and forms. When allowed to take its natural shape, 

 it is one of the handsomest of the British evergreens, and a good 

 shelter for tender trees and shrubs. 



The wood is hard, heavy, and smooth, beautifully veined with 

 red streaks, admits of a fine polish, and is extremely durable. 

 Hence it is used by turners and cabinet-makers in the manu- 

 facture of spoons, cups, and various ornamental articles, and 

 might perhaps be substituted for box in wood engraving. On 

 account of its strength and durability, it is also converted into 

 cogs for mill-wheels, into axle-trees, flood-gates, &c. 



According to Dambourney, a decoction of yew-berries im- 

 parts a fine chamois-dye to wool previously immersed in a 

 weak solution of bismuth. On boiling the root, together with 

 the bark of the common birch-tree, (the wool being first boiled 

 in a solution of tin,) he obtained a beautiful cinnamon colour ; 

 which by the addition of alum, assumed a bright red colour. 



