406 Tlie New York State College of Forestry 



sources, although cases are exceedingly rare where the words are of 

 Semitic origin in spite of the influence of Hebrew on Christianity. 



In new regions new trees are encountered and in many cases the 

 aboriginal nomenclature is chosen as the technical, as in Hicoria 

 from the Indian powchohiccora. In the same way Tsuga comes 

 from Japan, while Hemlock is Anglo-Saxon and refers to species 

 of the herbaceous Cicuta. 



These very few and incomplete examples will show that no small 

 amount of history is bound up in the names of trees, and those 

 who are competent to make a real study of the problem may be 

 able to clear up many disputed points as to prehistoric migrations, 

 conquests, lines of trade, and other ethnological problems. Plants 

 are especially well adapted to such a study both because primitive 

 peoples know them, and because they have quite a definite dis- 

 tribution which may serve to geographically limit peoples or to 

 tell from whence they came. 



EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED IN THE GLOSSARY OF TREE 



NAMES 



In a eompilatiou of the etymological origin of any series of words, errors 

 are likely to appear as divergence among authora bears testimony. The 

 writer has in no case relied upon his own judgment, but, using the best 

 sources available, has acted merely in an editorial capacity. 



The follo^\ing symbols and abbreviations have been used: 



A. S. — Anglo-Saxon. The language of the Germanic invaders of England. 



Ayran — Indo-European. 



E. — English. 



fr. — • from an earlier source. 



Fr. — ■ French. 



Ger. — German. 



Gr. — Greek. 



I. E. — Indo-European, the extinct parent tongue of the European and some 

 Asiatic languages. 



I. G. — Indo-Germanic — ■ Indo European. 



L. — • Latin. 



L. L. — Late Latin. 



M. E.— Middle English — the language of England fr. 1100-1500. 



Skt. or Skr. — Sanskrit ; the language of the eai'ly invaders of India which 

 has been preserved in the Veda. It is believed to include more Indo- 

 European derivatives than any other branch. 



Sp. — Spanish. 



Teut. — Teutonic, the parent language of the N. W. European group. 



* — Akin to or of parallel descent from an earlier conmion source. 



