THE YEW. 347 



from the ground, it sends out numerous horizontal branches 

 which spread in all directions, and are densely clothed with 

 tough twigs, which are leafy throughout their whole 

 extent, or nearly so. The leaves are tliickly set on two 

 opposite sides of the stem, very narrow, slightly recurved, 

 dark green and shining above, but paler below. The 



LEAF AND FLOWER OF THE YEW. 



young shoots of the Yew are subject to a disease, the effect 

 of which is a conical bunch of succulent leaves at the 

 extremity of the twigs ; this, when it has grown to about 

 an inch in length, withers and dies off. The flowers, 

 which are of two kinds, and grow on separate trees, appear 

 among the leaves, and on the under-side of the twigs. The 

 barren flowers are the most numerous, appearing in the 



