CHAP. CV. 



. FA'GUS. 



1955 



1878 



into each other, and, as it were, inosculate ; and hence, according to some, it 

 was this tree that gave the first idea of grafting. A curious example will be 

 found under the head of Accidents and Diseases. 



Geography. The common beech is a native of the temperate parts of 

 Europe, from the south of Norway to the Mediterranean Sea, and from 

 England to Constantinople. It is also found in Palestine, Asia Minor, 

 Armenia, and Mazanderan. In Norway, it is found as far north as 59, in 

 favourable situations ; and, in Sweden, to 58. According to Pallas, it is 

 plentiful in the southern provinces of Russia, and in Caucasus ; but it is not 

 common in the plains ; and it is nowhere to be found in the northern pro- 

 vinces. It abounds in the forests of Poland, and in Lithuania. The line of 

 beeches on the Alps rises to the elevation of 5132 ft., between lat. 45i and 

 46 ; the snow line being 3848 ft. higher. ( Von Buck, as quoted by //. C. 

 Watson.) In Switzerland, the beech occupies the south sides of the moun- 

 tains, where it rises as high as the raccfnium Titis idae v a, and where the silver 

 fir clothes the north side. (Nat. Hist. Jorat., vol. i. p. 9.) In France, it is 

 found on the sloping sides of mountains, and on calcareous hills; but almost 

 always on the south side. According to some, the European beech is also a 

 native of America, where it is known under the name of the white beech ; but, 

 as we are inclined to doubt whether this may not be something different from 

 the European beech, we have treated it as a variety, and given its geography, 

 when speaking of it, as such. (See p. 1953.) In Great Britain, the beech is 

 found in forests, supposed to be indigenous, in various parts of the central die- 



6 L 3 



