L. 
THE YEW TREE. 
Yew Tree.—The genus Tazus belongs to Diwcia Monadelphia 
of Linnzus, and it forms the type of the natural order Taxacee. 
The blossoms of the tree are unisexual, and generally the 
sexes are placed on distinct plants ; instances, however, some- 
times occur of a tree yielding both male and female flowers. 
The genus may be divided into two distinct species, the 
common or English yew, and the upright or Irish yew, each 
of which has given rise to a few varieties. 
Taaus baccata (L.), the English or common Yew, is found 
indigenous throughout Britain and in most parts of Europe. 
It is also a native of North America. In a wild state it is 
found in solitary trees, and very seldom in close woods of the 
genus. It is partial to a north or shaded locality, where it can 
only enjoy a soil cool and moist; and it luxuriates, though 
considerably confined, among tall deciduous trees. It is there- 
fore valuable as an underwood, in forming a shelter and seclu- 
sion, where trees in general are apt to become feeble, and 
yield only a scanty foliage. This species becomes a timber 
tree, and generally attains to the height of forty or fifty feet. 
It is propagated from seed. The berries become ripe in 
autumn, when they should be collected and cleared from 
the pulp by washing. The stones or seeds should then 
be mixed up with twice their bulk of sand, and placed 
into a pit for twelve or fourteen months; they may be 
sown in open weather, either in winter or early in spring. 
The soil should be rich and loamy, but such as is not apt to 
become stiff or hard on the surface. The seeds should be 
sown into beds, as regularly as possible, with the view of the 
