The Scotch Fir (Pinus sylvestris). 

 By W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S. Read May 27///, 1909. 



In some parts of England the Scotch fir is practically unknown, 

 and to read a paper on it would be much out of place. In Surrey 

 it is a different matter, for we have in this delightful county great 

 stretches of a geological formation, known as the Bagshot Sand, 

 which, though very barren as regards vegetation as a whole, is parti- 

 cularly well suited for a few plants, one being that with which the 

 present paper treats. 



Near Oxshott, Claygate and Esher the Bagshot Sand is well 

 developed, and is therefore easily accessible to members of this 

 Society, thus rendering unnecessary any excuse for bringing forward 

 some facts connected with this in many ways interesting plant. 

 One such fact I must refer to at once. It is needless to state that 

 plants naturally form various groups, such as algas, fungi, mosses, 

 ferns, flowering-plants. Now the Scotch fir and the other plants 

 belonging to its group hold an interesting position between the fern- 

 group and the thorough-going flowering-plants such as the buttercup 

 and the horse-chestnut. By studying the three groups we seem to 

 see that as during the ages such flowering-plants were being evolved 

 from some members of the fern-group, the fir-group came as a link 

 — not this time missing — between the other two. 



Scientifically, this group of plants is known as Gymnosperms. It 

 so happens that there are but three members of the group that are 

 real natives of Britain. These are the yew, the juniper, and the 

 plant with which we are immediately concerned. Plants constituting 

 the Natural Order to which the Scotch fir belongs are named Conifers, 

 that is, producing their seeds in cones — fir-cones. The yew and the 

 juniper, though belonging to this order, are rather distantly related 

 to the cone-bearers proper, their fruit taking the form of a so-called 

 " berry." 



To the botanist the conifer we have now to deal with is Finns 

 sylvestris, which, being literally interpreted, is the " pine of the 

 woods." As the plant seems to be naturally at home in Scotland, 

 it is known almost universally as the Scotch fir. Some people 

 prefer to translate the word Finns into the English word "pine," and 

 hence call the tree the Scotch pine, but as the vernacular English 

 name for the tree is Scotch fir, that we should call it when we use an 

 English name at all. Besides, it would seem that the name "fir" 

 was originally given to the Scotch example ; and therefore, I am 

 given to understand, by the law of priority "Scotch fir" must stand, 



