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TAXACE.E. 



and with a cleaner stem than when isolated or standing- 

 exposed, and that much also might be effected towards 

 a quicker growth by training the plants when young to a 

 single stem, by eradicating supernumerary leaders, and 

 shortening- in the side branches where they appear to be 

 too rampant or to detract from the nourishment that 

 ought to go to the central stem. When thus planted, 

 with a view to its timber, the Yew and the oak, as longest 

 in attaining maturity, ought to remain as the ultimate crop 

 upon the soil, such intermediate occupants as it might 

 be thought necessary to plant along with them, whether 

 consisting entirely of the Oonifera? or of a mixture of these 

 with other deciduous trees, being gradually thinned out 

 to give sufficient room and air to the survivors. Planted 

 and treated in this way, the number of Yew plants re- 

 quired per acre would be comparatively few, and their 

 cost (a matter of considerable importance when planting 

 upon an extensive scale,) moderate, as it would not be 

 necessary to place them nearer to each other than from 

 thirty to forty feet. 



We have already adverted in a cursory manner to the 

 frequent occurrence of the Yew tree in ancient church- 

 yards, where many of the finest and most venerable speci- 

 mens are still in existence ; the origin of the custom of 

 planting them in this situation remains, however, a matter 

 of speculation, as no ancient historic records refer directly 

 to the subject, or explain why such deference was paid 

 to this tree. In consequence of this want of information, 

 various opinions have been broached by writers upon the 

 subject. By some it is supposed to have been so placed 

 to ensure its preservation from cattle and other injuries, 

 as being a tree, in former days, of national importance 

 for the fabrication of the English long bow ; by others, as 



