144 



BOX-TREE. — BUXUS. 



Natural order •, Tricoccce. Euphorbia, Juss. A 

 genus of the Moncecia Tetrandria class. 



" How goodly looks Cytorus, ever green, 

 With boxen groves." 



Dryden's Virgil, Geo. ii. 



This tree, which so beautifully bedecks and 

 gives a vernal appearance to our Surrey hills 

 in the depth of winter, was called by the 

 Greeks Ilv%oc, from Wxa, dense, thick; Sid, 

 to 7rvKyov tou %vXov 9 the timber being very 

 dense and close. 



We consider the English name of this plant 

 to be a corruption of the Latin word buxus, 

 or from the Spanish box, and that it gave the 

 name of box to those little wooden cases 

 made by the turner, rather than derived its 

 own from these cases. This shrub certainly 

 gave the name of Box-hill to those delightful 

 downs near Dorking, in Surrey, and where 

 the shrub seems to have grown naturally, as 

 it is known to have abounded there long be- 

 fore the time that the Earl of Arundel retired 

 to that spot, and as it is stated, planted the 

 box. 



