60 VEGETATION OF THE PEAK DISTRICT [CH. 



beech, is indigenous in the south-east of England. As a 

 planted tree, the beech is locally abundant up to about 

 1600 feet (488 m.). 



The Spanish or sweet chestnut (*Castanea sativa *C. 

 vulgaris = *C. vesca) is planted rarely up to 1500 feet (457 m.) ; 

 but it is seldom a success in this hilly district ; and its fruits do 

 not ripen on the Pennines. In some of the lowland oak woods 

 of Cheshire, as in Delamere Forest, the tree is much more 

 successful ; and the tree is said to ripen its fruits occasionally 

 in one or two localities of that county. On sandy soils in 

 the south and east of England, the tree not uncommonly ripens 

 its fruits, as in Kent, Bedfordshire, and Cambridgeshire ; and 

 there young trees and seedlings may be seen in all stages of 

 development in certain woods and plantations. 



The wych elm (Ulmus glabra = U. montana) is indigenous, 

 and occurs up to about 1000 feet (305 m.). Above this altitude, 

 it is frequent in plantations up to 1500 feet (457 m.). It is 

 a constant and sometimes an abundant constituent in the 

 damper woods, but is rare in the drier ones. In favourable 

 localities, seedlings are very common. The seeds germinate 

 very shortly after they fall from the tree ; and seedlings may 

 be found in August on damp, bare soil in sheltered situations. 



The hawthorn (Grataegus Oxyacantha = Q. monogyna) is 

 an occasional associate in the damper and more shady woods, 

 and an abundant one in the drier and more exposed woods. 

 Frequently, it is the last relic of pre-existing woods on exposed 

 hill-sides. The form or variety laviniata is common ; and this 

 indeed may be the indigenous form. 



The crab apple (Pyrus Malus) is never more than a shrub 

 on the hills of northern England. The remark in Lin ton's 

 flora (1903 : 142) that it is "common everywhere" in Derbyshire 

 is a curious over-statement. In the woods of Quercus sessili- 

 flora the plant is rather local, and rarely, if ever, abundant. 

 In many seasons, it fails to ripen its fruits. 



The rowan or mountain ash (Pyrus Aucuparia) occurs in 

 most of the woods ; and, in rocky, upland, and heathy situations, 

 it is often abundant. It is frequently the last isolated tree 

 seen in ascending the cloughs. 



The raspberry (Rubus Idaeus) is abundant locally, pre- 

 ferring damp soils without much acidic humus. R. fissus 



