VIIl] CULTIVATED LAND : CULTURE ASSOCIATIONS 209 



Plantations 



The natural and semi-natural woods of the district have 

 been described in a previous chapter. It remains to mention 

 the plantations. The latter term is here used to denote purely 

 artificial associations of trees whose ground flora does not com- 

 prise shade-loving species. 



In this district, plantations occur usually on the site of 

 former grassland, less frequently on a moorland site, and 

 scarcely ever on former arable land. 



The trees most commonly planted are the Scots pine (*Pinus 

 sylvestris), the larch {* Larix decidua = *L. europaea), and the 

 beech {*Fagus sylvatica). Other trees which are locally abundant 

 in the plantations are the black or Austrian pine (*P. nigHcans 

 = *P. austriaca), the spruce fir or Norway spruce {* Picea ex- 

 celsd), the oak {*Quercus Robur = *Q. pedunculata), and the 

 sycamore (^ Acer Pseudoplataniis). 



On the vegetation maps, the plantations which consist chiefly 

 of coniferous trees are distinguished from those which consist 

 chiefly of dicotyledonous trees by means of special colours ; and 

 the most abundant trees are indicated by letters, thus : *Pinus 

 sylvestHs (p), * Larix decidua {=* L. europaea) (L), * Fagus 

 sylvatica (F), mixed conifers (C), mixed dicotyledonous trees (D), 

 or mixed coniferous and dicotyledonous trees (M). In the case 

 of plantations consisting of an approximately equal mixture of 

 deciduous and coniferous species, the fact is indicated on the 

 maps by stippling. 



The pine plantations are more numerous on the non-cal- 

 careous than on the calcareous soils : larch and beech plantations 

 occur indifferently on either soil. In damp situations, the larch 

 is commonly attacked by canker (Dasyscypha calycina = Peziza 

 Wilkommii). The beech grows well in the district, more 

 especially perhaps on the limestones; but nowhere on the 

 Pennines does the tree appear to rejuvenate from self-sown 

 seed. Henry (1907 : 100) states that the beech is native in 

 this district ; but that is not the usual view. The place-name 

 Buxton which Henry infers means " beechtown," is capable of a 

 very different derivation. Lees (1888) says that the beech is 

 " possibly native on the Permian " or Magnesian Limestone of 



M. 14 



