FOREST TREES OF CALIFORNIA. 



PACIFIC YEW. 



(Taxus brevifolia.) 



"Bows of the tough yew." — Virgil. 



A TREE forty to sixty, or even seventy-five feet high, one 

 /A to two, rarely three feet in diameter; usually broadly 

 conic in outline, sometimes more aspiring, but always 

 of arboreal habit; body with a strong base, often unsym- 

 metrically developed, or measuring one fourth to one third 

 more in one diameter than another, covered with a flaky, 

 thin, dark cherry-red bark, rarely a little shreddy; long 

 and slim branches, horizontal or slightly depending; twigs 

 slender, in flat fan-formed sprays, the shining green leaves 

 closely set on very short tiny leaf-stems, arranged strictly 

 in two rows, like redwood, hemlock, and trees of similar 

 foliage, but rather darker, or richer, and much more glossy 

 varnished green, about three fourths of an inch long, flat, 

 line-like, and sharp pointed, a shade of lighter yellowish 

 green beneath. The fruit is most charmingly ornamental, 

 set underneath the finishing sprays in bright translucently 

 red fleshy cups, the oblong cone-topped seed imbedded 

 therein. This pretty pulpy cup is quite sweet and fruity; 

 in short, edible. 



Our Yews are certainly not yellow-green, neither are they 

 sombre; for, first, the form is so free, open, and airy, and the 

 foliage such a cheerful shining green, that it has altogether 

 a vivacious effect; but were it dismally dense and formal, or 

 dully dark and dirty in hue of bark, leaf, flower, or fruit, or 

 stiff and heavy in any apparent sense, we might possibly, in 

 some implied way, indorse, or at least copy, public sentiment. 

 But, reader, if you please, put a beautiful sprig of it in our 

 bouquet, cheery rubied fruit and all, and let it spirit us to 

 the sweet spruce woods once more, happy as any child this 

 side Eden. Should any say, "It's in bad taste," why, then, 

 we must refer them to the wise proverbs of gray antiquity, 

 which declare there is no disputing about such matters, for 

 they belong chiefly to that higher realm of yea, yea, and 

 nay, nay. At all events, let us agree that the conic form, 

 when duly open and free, is the lightest, as in this case noted, 

 nor dwell long on the lengthened careless toss of horizontal 

 branch, and not too thickened spray, but winged witli bright 

 perpetual verdure, perfect integrity of form, storm-proof 

 against all ordinary contingencies, or with ready and vigor- 



