CHAP. CV.

CORYLA'CE-ffi. CA'RPINUS.

2007

covered with a brownish moss. Thetree is extremely patient of the knife;and the wood unites readily when twobranches are bound together. Thehornbeam never grows very fast, butstill more slowly when it becomes old.

In the neighbourhood of London, therate of growth may be considered from1 ft. to 18 in. a year for the first tenyears, and the tree will attain its fullsize in between 50 and 60 years : itslongevity may be considered as equalto that of the beech. There is a hand-some tree in the grounds of the Dukeof Devonshire’s villa at Chiswick, ofwhich a portrait will be found in ourlast Volume; and figs. 1933. to 1935.are portraits of trees at Studley Park.

Fig. 1933. shows the natural form of thehead of the tree, where it has room toexpand. Fig. 1934. shows a beechon the right hand, which is 85 ft. high,and a hornbeam on the left, which is73ft. high. Fig. 1935. shows two horn-beams, one of which has a compound inosculated trunk, and is introduced toshow that the hornbeam partakes of the liability of the beech to inosculate.The latter are between 50 ft. and 60 ft. high, with handsome well-shapedheads. The roots of the hornbeam are numerous, and not only extend far,but penetrate deeply into the soil; though the plant cannot be called tap-rooted.

Geography. The common hornbeam is indigenous in France, Germany,Italy, and throughout the whole of Central Europe; in Norway and Sweden,as far as 55° and 56°, but not to the north of Scania; in the south of Russia,and in Caucasus, Armenia, Asia Minor, and all Western Asia; but not inAfrica. The general range of the hornbeam is in the temperate climates, asit seems alike averse from extreme heat and cold. It is a native of Englandand Ireland, and the south of Scotland. According to Watson, it is parti-cularly abundant in Kent, Norfolk, Caernarvon, Chester, and Lancaster;(Outlines , &c., p. 255.); and Sir J. E.Smith informs us that it forms “ a prin-cipal part of the ancient forests on the north and east sides of London; suchas Epping, Finchley, &c.” ( Eng. Flora, iv. p. 156.) It is always found incold, stiff, clayey, moist soils, where scarcely any other timber tree will grow ;and in situations bleak, but seldom or never mountainous.

History , cfe. The Greeks supposed the hornbeam to be a kind of maple,and called it Zugia, or the yoke tree, in common with the maple; from the usemade of the wood of both trees for yokes for cattle. The Latins called itCarpinus ; and under this name it is spoken of by Vitruvius, lib. ii. c. ix.Pliny classes it with the maples; though he adds that many naturalists sup-pose it to be a genus by itself. He says less about it than about any otherforest tree; and only remarks that it will thrive equally well on the mountainsand in the plains. Virgil does not mention it. Some of the old Englishwriters considered it a kind of elm. Gerard calls it Betulus sive Carpinus ;and his description of it is so curious, that we copy it below. He says that“ it growes great, and very like unto the elme or wich-hasell tree ; having agreat body, the wood or timber whereof is better for arrowes and shafts,pulleyes for mils, and such like devices, than elme or wich-hasell; for, in time,it waxeth so hard, that the toughness and hardnes of it may be rather com-pared to horn than unto wood; and therefore it was called hornebeam orhard-beam. The leaves of it are like the elme, saving that they be tenderer :