THE YEW. 517 
which are poisonous, are produced along the twigs 
in two opposite and crowded rows. They are 
of a sombre green colour, shining, oblong, pointed, 
Opaque, concave on their under sides, with a con- 
Spicuous mid-stem, and somewhat less than an 
inch in length. The male and female flowers 
respectively are produced on different Trees, 
growing on the under side of the twigs. The 
male flowers are small in size, and are clustered 
on the twigs in the form of scaly, membranous 
buds. The female flowers are somewhat like tiny 
acorns in appearance, with, however, red fleshy 
cups, enclosing seeds in the form of nuts, which 
are uncovered at the tops, like acorns protruding 
from their cups, and are edible. The accompany- 
ing illustration (page 518) exhibits two sprays 
of Yew, one showing its flowers, and the other its 
fruit. 
Slow of growth, continuing ordinarily to in- 
crease until it has reached the age of a hun- 
dred years, the Yew is a Tree of great lon- 
gevity, often existing during several centuries. 
Like the Pines, it loses its side branches when it 
grows in large masses. 
Hh 2 
