CHA1\ CV. 



CORYLA^CEdE. Ca'RPINUS. 



2007 



covered with a brownish moss. The 

 tree is extremely patient of the knife ; 

 and the wood unites readily when two 

 branches are bound together. The 

 hornbeam never grows very fast, but 

 still more slowly when it becomes old. 

 In the neighbourhood of London, the 

 rate of growth may be considered from 

 1 ft. to 18 in. a year for the first ten 

 years, and the tree will attain its full 

 size in between 50 and 60 years : its 

 longevity may be considered as equal 

 to that of the beech. There is a hand- 

 some tree in the grounds of the Duke 

 of Devonshire's villa at Chiswick, of 

 which a portrait will be found in our 

 last Volume; and figs. 1933. to 1935. 

 are portraits of trees at Studley Park. 

 Fig. 1933. shows the natural form of the 

 head of the tree, where it has room to 

 expand. Fig. 1934. shows a beech 

 on the right hand, which is 85 ft. high, 

 and a hornbeam on the left, which is 

 73ft. high. Fig. 1935. shows two horn- 

 beams, one of which has a compound inosculated trunk, and is introduced to 

 show that the hornbeam partakes of the liability of the beech to inosculate. 

 The latter are between 50 ft. and 60 ft. high, with handsome well-shaped 

 heads. The roots of the hornbeam are numerous, and not only extend far, 

 but penetrate deeply into the soil ; though the plant cannot be called tap- 

 rooted. 



Geography. The common hornbeam is indigenous in France, German)'', 

 Italy, and throughout the whole of Central Europe; in Norway and Sweden, 

 as far as 55° and 56°, but not to the north of Scania ; in the south of Russia, 

 and in Caucasus, Armenia, Asia Minor, and all Western Asia ; but not in 

 Africa. The general range of the hornbeam is in the temperate climates, as 

 it seems alike averse from extreme heat and cold. It is a native of England 

 and Ireland, and the south of Scotland. According to Watson, it is parti- 

 cularly abundant in Kent, Norfolk, Caernarvon, Chester, and Lancaster; 

 (Outlines, &c, p. 255.); and Sir J. E.Smith informs us that it forms " a prin- 

 cipal part of the ancient forests on the north and east sides of London ; such 

 as Epping, Finchley, &c." (Eng. Flora, iv. p. 156.) It is always found in 

 cold, stiff, clayey, moist soils, where scarcely any other timber tree will grow ; 

 and in situations bleak, but seldom or never mountainous. 



History, Sf-c. The Greeks supposed the hornbeam to be a kind of maple, 

 and called it Zugia, or the yoke tree, in common with the maple ; from the use 

 made of the wood of both trees for yokes for cattle. The Latins called it 

 Carpinus ; and under this name it is spoken of by Vitruvius, lib. ii. c. ix. 

 Pliny classes it with the maples; though he adds that many naturalists sup- 

 pose it to be a genus by itself. He says less about it than about any other 

 forest tree ; and only remarks that it will thrive equally well on the mountains 

 and in the plains. Virgil does not mention it. Some of the old English 

 writers considered it a kind of elm. Gerard calls it Betulus sive Carpinus ; 

 and his description of it is so curious, that we copy it below. He says that 

 " it growes great, and very like unto the elme or wich-hasell tree ; having a 

 great body, the wood or timber whereof is better for arrowes and shafts, 

 pulleyes for mils, and such like devices, than elme or wich-hasell ; for, in time, 

 it waxeth so hard, that the toughness and hardnes of it may be rather com- 

 pared to horn than unto wood ; and therefore it was called hornebeam or 

 hard-beam. The leaves of it are like the elme, saving that they be tenderer ; 



