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Evening Star, Issue 17545, 28 December 1920, Page 4

I was looking at an enormous and veryancient yew tree in a Herefordshire cnurchyard, and was assured by the old sexton that it was at least a thousand years old, relates a writer in 'John o' London's Weekly.' Though I did not say so, I took the liberty of doubting the etatement, for I fancy there are few trees of such an age in England. The Tortworth chestnut figures upon a charter dated 1135, and so is probably -well on towards the end of its tenth, century; and there is an oak at Tilford, near Farnham, which was there in the year 1250. The heart of the common oak, however, begins to rot afc the age of 300 years, eoj even when an oak is undisturbed it rarefy livea much beyond 500 years. The conifers are long-lived. A larch may live 276 years, a silver fir 425, and a pine over 500 years. The yew, of course, has the greatest powers of 'resisting -time's ravages, and. may survive for 1,000 years or more;