Many varieties of the yew tree occur in these islands. A celebrated variety is that in which the branches are all directed upwards rather than horizontally--a frequent form of variation in trees which more usually have spreading, nearly horizontal branches. This variety is called "fastigiate" (the "fastigiate" condition of the common cypress tree is the one usually cultivated, although there are common varieties with spreading branches), and in the case of the fastigiate yew it is accompanied by a variation in the disposition of the needles or leaves. Instead of being carried right and left in a single row on each side of the young branches, as is usual with yews, the needles are set all round the branch in spiral order (as they are in many conifers). This variety was found growing wild in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland, nearly two hundred years ago, and a couple of trees of it were then cultivated at Florence Court by the Earl of Enniskillen of that date. Thousands of cuttings have been sent from one of these two original trees, which is still vigorous (I saw it some thirty years ago at Florence Court) all over the world. It is known as the "Florence Court yew," or "Irish yew," and is commonly planted in gardens. But all are from cuttings of this one original tree, or cuttings of its cuttings, and all, like their parent, are female berry-bearing trees, for the male and female flowers grow on separate trees in the yew. The foliage of the yew contains aromatic and other chemical products, which render it poisonous to cattle. It is said not to be poisonous when quite fresh, but only some time after cutting. This, however, needs confirmation. The yew makes an admirably compact and impervious screen when grown as a hedge, and has been largely used in gardens for this purpose. In the sixteenth century it was the custom to clip yew hedges, or small yew trees, into all sorts of strange shapes, birds, beasts, and crowns. The name "topiary" is given to this fanciful work. The popularity of the yew in the gardens of those days is due to the small number of our native evergreen shrubs and trees; they are yew, Scots fir, juniper, holly, privet, ivy, butcher's broom, box (a doubtful native), spurge-laurel, and mistletoe. Up to the end of the seventeenth century only a few evergreens had been introduced from abroad, viz., spruce pine, silver fir, stone pine, pinaster, the cedar of Lebanon, savin, arbor vitæ, evergreen oak, sweet bay, Portugal laurel, laurustine, and arbutus.