DIOECIA MONADELPHIA. ^87 



It is an evergreen tree, of no great height, but 

 the trunk grows to a large fize. My ingenious 

 friend, Mr. Pennant^ in his Scotch Tour, has 

 taken notice of a very remarkable decay'd one 

 in Fortingal church-yard, whofe remains mea- 

 fured fifty-fix feet and a half in circumference. 



The leaves are of a dark fliining green, linear and 

 acute, divided by a longitudinal nerve, and grow 

 in a double ferles, oppofed to each other, oa 

 the fame plane. The flowers, both male and 

 female, grow from the al^ of the leaves. The 

 berry is red, and mucilaginous, of a fingular 

 flrudlure, being formed out of the receptacle, 

 which fwells and becomes fucculentj but does 

 not cover the top of the feed. It has a fwect, 

 mawkifli tafte. 



The wood is red and vein'd, very hard and fmooth, 

 and much ufed by turners and cabinet-makers. 



The tree is very patient of the flieers, and will af- 

 fume almoft any figure. 



It has generally been fuppofed to have a poifonous 

 quality. We have repeated accounts of horfes 

 and cows that have died by eating it ; but whe- 

 ther the yew was the immediate caufe of their 

 death, is a matter of fome doubt. 



The berries are certainly not poifonous. 



Our anceftors efteem'd the wood of this tree as fu- 



pcrior to any other for making bows. For this 



S f 2 intent 



