The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-07-22

{ Oh us itlldSt anu iIIt tAItiSllC pt'l WI
its flowers. 1t is Il rapid growing tree
and often ;titaiDS great size. b3c III
Noliull; is 80 fee; high and Is feet in ci.-
conference. Another at Moor Park.
Ergiand, j. l!D feet high, % feet in cir
conference at the ground, while its
crown is l23 feet IN diameter. Another
i'll Kent covers quarter OF AN acre of
ground. The lower branches OF the last
named tree have grown out to great
length until they dropped to the ground
by their own weight. when they took
root, sending ont young trees. These III
turn put forth branches which again
took root, thus forming a second circle of
trees. The lime tree was well known to
the ancients, and was employed by them
for the manufacture Of papyrus. In the
library at Vienna is Il work of Cicero, the
great Roman orator. written upon the
inner bark of this tree. During the mid
die ages when the Swiss a:d Flemin.s
were struggling for liberty, it WAS their
custom to plant linden on the field of
battle, and many Of these old trees still
remain. At Augsburg, Germany, are
some very large and aged lindens, under
whose shade innumerabe feasts ana
weddings have been celebrated. In early
times divine honors were paid to them as
emblems of immortality. Y great tree
in Wurtemburg covered four hundred
feet with its branches, which We're sup
ported by numerous columns, set by
kings and others of high degree. \ lin
den at Zurich forms bower capable of
holding five hundred persons. The
name of Linn;eus. the renowned Swedish
linden which grew near his house. One
Of the principal avenues i'll Berlin is
shaded by lindenS, whence its name
It inter- den Linden" There is Il forest
in Lithuania which contains numbers of
lindenS, and the honey obtained from its
flowers is the chief dependence of the in
habitants of that neighborhood. 1t is
especially delicate and delicious, and
sells for much higher price than ordi-
nary honey. The wood of the linden
has been much used for the finest wood
engraving, being soft, light and smooth.
The blocks used by the famous engraver
IIobcin are supposed to have been made
of linden. In Sweden the inner bark is
made into a coarse thread. somewhat re-
sembling flax, from which are con-
structed fishing nets. The Italian peas
ants often wear clothes made OF this ma
terial. Russian peasants take the fibre
of young shoots for the upper part of
their shoes, and the outer bark for their
soles. y kind of mating is also made
from these iibrcs, which Is much favored
for packing goods. y pleasant tasting
tea is made from the dried flowers, and
an infusion of them is given III some
parts Of France as d remedy for cold.
The very name a the lew is INSOFAR
ably associated with the early history OF
Eng land. 1t recalls Greasy and Asin-
court. the tales of "Robin Hood and his
Merry Men, the valiant archers with
their ''cloth-yard shafts, and innumera-
be victories gained by their valor and
skill. The early English sovcreigns
would not permit the yew to be exported
to any other country, reserving it for
home use exclusively. Henry ". COM
PEELED every EnSlishmau residing in Ire
land to keep bow in his house. In
Switzerland any person who cut down a
ycw, except for the purpose Of making a
bow, was heavily fined, and among the
Swiss mountalneers it is called "William
Tells tree" in memory of that famous
legendary patriot. The yew lives to a
very great age. At Fountains Abbey.
in Yorkshire. are still living five yews
which were full grown when the abbey
was founded in 1872 There is said to
be well authenticated evidence that one
ycw attained the age of $3.50 years. The
trees grow to the height of some forty
feet. throwing out spreading branches
some three or four feet from the ground,
and forming a dense head. The leaves
are dark green, smooth, shining and set
very close together. The berries are
bright red somewhat resembling small
cherries. The berries and twigs are very
poisonous to cattle and horses, and
whole herds have been destroyed by eat
ing them. In England the yew is chiefly
planted in church yards, and a ''conse-
Grated yew' in early times sold for 4
pound, While an ordinary tree was worth
but fifteen pence. The wood is hard.
firm, close grained and very enduring.
Its color is yellowish brown, the sap
wood being white. The fineness of grain
is due to the thinneSs of the layers
formed each year. as many is two hum
bred and eighty having been counted in
a piece of wood twenty inches in diam
eter. 1t is much admired as furniture
wood-indeed some prefer it to mahog-
any. The white sap wood can be dyed
to form Il very exact imitation OF ebony
Its durability has given rise to the say
ing that "a post of yew will outlast y
post of iron. II. $. HUkic. in tie Linn
Der IOrid.