Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

60HE yew tree. which is closely as
ISOLATED with the oldest British
traditions, is not numerous in
q Washington, but there are a
few specimens in the Botanic Garden
and in the White House grounds,
though the specimens which are per-
haps best situated for convenient ex-
animation by tourists as we'll as by
Washingtonians are in the grounds of
the Department of Agriculture.
After passing through the long and
Interesting ;.rcade of ghinko trees
which shade the main north and south
drive of the agricultural grounds you
come to semi-circular lawn orna-
mented by two flower circles gay at
this season with the bloom of red
geraniums and yellow cannas. The
carriage or the auto drive passes
around this lawn. but the footwalk
leads through it to the red sandstone
wall surmounted by an iron balustrade.
each panel post of which is topped with
an urn. The footwalk strikes the mid
die of this barrier and five stone steps
lead through it.
Near the top of this short flight of
steps leading from the lower to the
upper lawn are four trees. Two which
flank the walk leading to the old brick
building are specimens of the Chinese
arbor vitae, and flanking them at a dis
tance of a few yards are two of the
trees which are rare in Washington.
A faded and much worn label gives the
information that they are Irish yews.
or Taxus baccata. good many per-
sons. mainly strangers in the city. stop
to look at these trees. They are yet
only about ten feet tall, but they are
quite thick for that height and in form
they are symmetrical.
The British yews belong to series
of rather closely related forms that ex-
tend round the world in the northern
hemisphere. crossing the equator only
in the region of the East Indies. An
authority on the yew tree has said:
THE best known and most widely
planted form is the English yew Of the
British Isles and northern Europe.
where 1t has been intimately associated
with the life of the people as shown in
their customs, folk lore and literature
from the earliest historic times 1t was
used in the earliest efforts at formal
decorative planting and its fne dark
evergreen foliage, hardness. long life
and capacity to endure abuse in the
form of pruning and Shearing have
maintained for it a prominent place in
the favor of gardeners down to the
present. The moist, cool climate OF
England and Ireland is very favorable
to it's growth and longevity. and the
FotherinRal yew was fifty-seven feet
in circumfer and its stump showed
an age of something like 5000 wears
The wood of the yew is tough. hard
and finely colored. 1t takes a fine pol
ish and is priced for carving and cabi-
net work, as we'll as being extremely
resistant to decay and well suited to
exposure to the weather. 1t was the
IS IL py-stt CI fnY q
making of bows and in f"ct it was
preferred for such use by all the races
of northern Europe before the intro
duction, and for some time after the
Introduction, of firearms.
There are American forms of yew.
The Pacific coast yew, sometimes called
mountain mahogany, Is fine tree,
reaching it's maximum development in
Oregon. There is Alaskan yew
which the Alaskan Indians use for
bows. spear shafts and paddles.
One of the many stories about the
yew tree is that in the old days it used
to be planted in the shadow of the
churches. so that the British might cut
their national weapon from ground hal
lowed by Gods worship and their
fathers graves.
The grounds of the Department of
Agriculture furnish a pleasant and
profitable field of exploration for any
one who is interested or who is in
clined to develop an interest in the
unusual things OF the tree world Inc
masses of many-colored bloom in the
garden around the old red brick build
ing have been the delight of thousands
of Washingtonians and tourists
throughout the time of flowers.
The little and ornate summer houses
at the east and west ends of the upper
garden-that garden which is directly
in front Of the old main building
have been appreciated by countless
couples and the walls of those bowers.
II they have ears. have heard myriad
of sweet sentiments and tender words.
The old redwood tree trunk which
has stood in the grounds since mature
men and women of Washington were
boys and girls. has taken on a mantle
OF ivy Few persons pass this old
relic without stopping to examine it. or
at least to pay it the tribute of a
glance. and this long dead tree is one
of the most frequently photographed
objects in the capital.