CHAP. CXII. 



TAXA'CEJE. TA'XUS. 



2079 



(being their greatest extension), it is 36 ft. ; and the height of the tree 

 is 52 ft. " This noble yew," Mr. Bowman observes, " has seven main 

 branches ; and most of these divide again, very near the trunk, into two or 

 three smaller ones. The tree, which is a male, is still full of foliage, and of 

 great beauty, as well as venerable for its size ; and it shows no symptoms of 

 natural decay. (J. E. B. July, 1836.) 



The Ystrad FJlur, or Strada Florida Yews, are mentioned by Lleland, as 

 growing in a cemetery of that name in South Wales. There were originally 

 39, but there are only three remaining, under one of which, tradition says, 

 the Welsh poet, David Ap Gwyllim, was buried. 



In Scotland, there are some remarkable yew trees. 



The Loudon Yew, at Loudon Castle in Ayrshire, is 42 ft. high, with a trunk 

 4 ft. 6 in. in diameter at 12 ft. from the ground, and a head 195 ft. in circum- 

 ference. Under this tree, it is said, Bruce bestowed the ancient castle and 

 estate on the Loudon family ; and, some centuries afterwards, John Earl of 

 Loudon signed the act of union between England and Scotland. When the 

 present castle was built, a curve was made in the wall to avoid injuring the yew 



The Cruxton Yew stood close by Cruxton Castle; and under its shade tradi- 

 tion says that Queen Mary gave her consent to marry Darnley, to perpetuate 

 the memory of which, she had the figure of a yew tree stamped on her coins. 

 J. Maxwell, Esq., M.P., whose residence at Polloc commands a view of 

 Cruxton Castle, informs us that this yew has been dead many years ; but 

 that he has preserved a portion of its trunk. He has also a young tree, raised 

 from it by layering, which he intends to plant on the site of the old one, as 

 soon as it attains sufficient size. 



The Dry burgh Yew stands close to the Abbey of Dryburgh, in Roxburgh- 

 shire, and is supposed to have been planted at the time the abbey was 

 founded, in 1136. Sir William Jardine informs us that it is now (1837) in 

 perfect health, and growing a few inches yearly ; and that the tree, from its 

 standing quite alone, has its branches spreading on every side, so as to form 

 a regular head 50 ft. in diameter. The circumference of the trunk, at 1 ft. 

 from the ground, is only 12 ft. 



The Fortingal Yew (Jig. 1989.) stands in the churchyard of Fortingal, or 

 the Fort of the Strangers, so called from its being in the vicinity of a small 



1989 



vs^-sg 



Roman camp, lying in the wild romantic district at the entrance to Glen 

 Lyon, in Perthshire. Its age is unknown, but it has long been a mere shell, 

 forming an arch, through which the funeral processions of the highlanders 

 were accustomed to pass. It was first described in the Philosophical Trans- 

 actions (vol. lix.), in 1769, by the Honourable Daines Barrington, who found 



6 T 



