140 



our first glimpse of yew. In mature specimens it is usually easy 

 enough for a person to distinguish the two genera, inasmuch as 

 their manner of branching is distinct; but in small plants the 

 similarity is often so close that at a distance they appear, es- 

 pecially to those unfamiliar with them, one and the same. 



Botanically speaking, Florida tumion and Florida yew are 

 closely related. Both are evergreens of the same family, although 

 of different genera. Neither is very tall-growing, but specimens 

 of tumion have been known to grow some forty feet in height. 

 They both have rather broad, linear, pointed leaves 3/4 to 

 11/2 inches long. The seed of each is a drupe, covered with 

 flesh. And their bark is scaly or fissured and not decidedly 

 different in color. However, Florida tumion grows in an open 

 pyramidal shape, with its branches disposed in tiers like the 

 araucarias and especially like the California-nutmeg; whereas 

 Florida yew is more rounded, and when compact it is not very 

 unlike English or Japanese yew. 



The surest means of distinguishing the two plants is in one 

 or both of two ways. Simply grasp a branchlet carefully, and 

 if it pricks you as though it were a tier of needles, you can be 

 assured it is Florida tumion, for Florida yew is as soft to the 

 touch as hemlock. If, however, your hands are tough and your 

 decision uncertain, pull off a few leaves, rub them between your 

 fingers, and if they emit a pungent odor like bruised red pepper, 

 you may bet you last dollar that the tree is none other than 

 tumion; which, because of its characteristic odor when bruised, 

 is sometimes called stinking cedar. 



Having accomplished his work of guiding us to where the 

 trees were growing, Mr. Ward returned to Bristol after wishing 

 us goodnight. However, we had come prepared to spend the 

 night, and as dusk was slowly setting in by this time, we at once 

 began to hunt for a suitable camp-site. Our first thought of 

 course was of water, and we were not long in finding some. By 

 retracing the steps which we had followed along the brook 

 earlier in the afternoon, we soon came to a small cataract. Al- 

 though the water here, as elsewhere along the stream, was very 

 shallow, nevertheless we dug at the base of this cataract a basin 

 large enough for our needs and left it long enough to allow the 

 mud to settle and the water to become clear. In the meantime 

 we brought our car as near as possible to the water-basin. 



