26 HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OP TREES. PART 1. 



his son, by his guardian, of the rents and profits for one year, to 

 Michaelmas, 1608, the receipt of box trees cut down upon the 

 sheep walk on this hill is 501. We have seen also an account of 

 this manor, taken in 1712, in which it is supposed that as much 

 had been cut down within a few years before as amounted to 

 3000/." {Manning and Bray's Surrey, i. 560.) At present the 

 only habitat of this tree in England is Box Hill ; and though this 

 circumstance cannot be considered as a proof that it is not indi- 

 genous, yet, as it is known that it does not ripen its seeds freely 

 in this country, and seldom sows itself, either on Box Hill or any- 

 where else, when in a neglected state, we may fairly be allowed, 

 ■when these circumstances are taken into consideration and con- 

 joined with its Roman name, to doubt whether it be a native. It 

 is so beautiful a tree, that its branches, like those of the bay, were 

 probably in early use both in civic festivals and religious cere- 

 monies ; and it appears likely that it was not only introduced, 

 but was cultivated, at an early period. At the same time, it must 

 not be forgotten, that, in estimating the probability of a tree or 

 plant being indigenous to a country, we must add to the other 

 considerations mentioned that of its native habitat. Now the 

 native site of the box is in woods of deciduous trees, where it 

 is well known a plant may propagate itself by seeds, which would 

 not do so on naked exposed situations. Taking this view of the 

 subject, the box may yet be a native. 



The English elm ( C/lmus campestris) seldom ripens its seeds in 

 England, though it does so freely in the neighbourhood of Paris. 

 It can hardly be considered a native. The common sycamore 

 ripens its seeds kindly, and in woods it sows itself, and the seeds 

 spring up freely; but this may be said of various trees and 

 shrubs which we know are foreign to the soil. The white poplar 

 is found so seldom that it can hardly be considered a native. 

 The yew is found in inaccessible acclivities, and other places 

 where it must have been sown by birds, which is also the case 

 with the spindle tree and the privet; therefore, their being 

 natives cannot reasonably be doubted, except on something like 

 positive evidence. 



The trees and shrubs which were known to our Saxon an- 

 cestors were, the birch, alder, oak, wild or Scotch pine, moun- 

 tain ash or rowan tree, juniper, elder, sweet gale, dog rose, 

 heath, St. John's wort, and the mistletoe. All these are con- 

 sidered as aboriginal in the country; but, from the length of 

 time that England was under the government of the Romans, 

 it may reasonably be supposed that, in addition to the native 

 trees and shrubs, there were in the country, when it was taken 

 possession of by the Saxons, several which were natives of France, 

 Spain, or Italy. To what extent this was the case cannot now 

 be known ; but it is sufficient for our purpose, that, in the present 



