CONIFERS 73 
varieties are the finest of its several forms. R. p. aurea, 
bright golden yellow; R. p. fiifera, an elegant variety 
with long slender branchlets; R. p. prumosa, a handsome 
form with dense feathery branchlets. 
Taxus on YEw.—The Common Yew (Taxus baccata) 
is too gloomy in appearance to admit of it being planted 
otherwise than very sparingly in the garden, and under 
no circumstances should it be planted on the margin of 
ponds or small lakes, because of the dark shadow it 
casts on the water. It is useful for hedges and for 
forming a screen on the margin of gardens that are much 
exposed. There are numerous handsome varieties, and 
the most distinct of these are T. 4. aurea, dense growing 
form, with bright golden leaves; one of the most 
effective of the golden conifers, and especially desirable 
because of the facility with which it can be kept to 
any desired size. T. 5. Dovastoni, a handsome compara- 
tively dwarf form with spreading, somewhat pendulous 
branches. T. 4. fastigata is the Irish Yew so well known 
for its close columnar growth; there are golden and 
silvery forms, but the former is decidedly the most 
effective. TZ. 5. glauca is remarkable for its greyish 
leafage, but not required except in collections, and 
T. b. gracilis pendula is not wanting in elegance, but it is 
not equal to some others of the weeping conifers. 
Tuuras.—These include a few desirable trees of 
moderate stature, and like the species of cupressus are 
compact and erect in growth. Thuia dolabrata is a beauti- 
ful species well deserving of being generally planted ; 
it grows most satisfactorily in a deep loamy soil contain- 
ing a liberal amount of moisture, and should be planted 
where it will not be exposed to easterly winds until 
well established. 7. gigantea is a handsome tree, more 
compact in habit and of larger growth than the preceding 
species. The variety 7. g. aurea has golden leafage, and 
T. g. gracilis is an elegant form of smaller growth than this 
