136 ARISTOCRATS OF THE GARDEN 



branches slightly inclined upward and each, when 

 laden with foliage, somewhat plumose in appearance. 

 The leaves are deciduous and resemble closely the 

 leaflets of the Maidenhair Fern and in the autumn 

 change to pure yellow before they fall. This noble 

 tree is unlike any other and none exceeds it in beauty 

 or dignity. 



The English Yew (Taxus baccata) and its varieties 

 brown badly during our winters and are not really hardy 

 in Massachusetts; and the native Yew (T. canadensis) 

 of woodland swamps often suffers in the same way when 

 planted in open situations. The Japanese Yew (T. 

 cuspidata), on the contrary, keeps its color unimpaired 

 and is the Yew par excellence for New England gar- 

 dens. An eminent authority maintains that this is 

 the most valuable plant that Japan has contributed 

 to New England gardens, and few, if any, will at- 

 tempt to gainsay this. The foliage is blackish green 

 and the plant is handsome on lawns and makes an ex- 

 cellent hedge. Most of the plants in cultivation have 

 been raised from cuttings and only occasional ex- 

 amples show signs of developing into trees. When 

 raised from seeds, however, a distinct leader is usually 

 developed from the beginning. 



In Japan this Yew has a very wide distribution and 

 grows in moist forests in the extreme north of Hok- 



