THE YEW TREE. 



65 



of protection, in order that there might always 

 be a good supply of bows in case of war. The 

 Catholic church, which was founded to preach 

 peace on earth to men of good will, never could 

 have patronised botany for sanguinary purposes. 

 No doubt whatever, the yew tree was planted 

 near the church for the facility of obtaining 

 sprigs and branches to be used during the pro^ 

 cessions. Religious processions were in high 

 request amongst our pious ancestors. They 

 were an admirable mode of imparting a know- 

 ledge of the sacred mysteries of religion to all 

 ranks of people. Terrible indeed has been the 

 loss to our nation by their suppression. 



Selborne's immortal naturalist cautions us 

 not to let our cattle feed upon the foliage of 

 the yew; and he gives us an instance of its 

 deadly effects. Hence, I have taken the pre- 

 caution to fence my clumps of yew trees round 

 with an impenetrable hedge of hollies. Sprigs 

 newly taken from the growing yew tree are 

 said not to be poisonous ; but in the course of 

 three or four days, a change takes place in them, 

 and then their noxious quality prevails. But the 

 ripe berries of the yew tree are certainly not 

 deleterious, as I myself can prove by frequent 



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