The Presidential Address. 
17 
a character of the species everywhere. Neither the Elm nor 
the Beech is known in submerged forests, or in pre-historic 
works in wood. 16 DeCandolle suggests 17 that the Latin 
name Tilia for the Lime is derived from the Celtic, and, since 
I doubt whether the Neolithic Mongols, the Finns of the 
Bronze Age, or the Celts are likely to have introduced exotic 
trees, this would make the Small-leaved Linden indigenous. 18 
The Komans in all probability introduced the cultivated 
Cherry, the English name of which is but a corruption from 
the Latin; 19 but it is none the less probable that one or 
more of the wuld species may have been indigenous. The 
argument as to the Beech is similar to that with reference 
to the Lime. The tree has every appearance of being as wild 
as the Oak or the Hazel; its Latin name Fagus may very 
probably be of Celtic origin, 20 Caesar’s assertion that it does 
not grow in England 21 may refer to the Chestnut, or may be 
otherwise explained. Our Secretary proposes to undertake 
the microscopical examination of the charcoal found in the 
pre-Roman camp at Loughton, a research of a difficulty only 
surpassed by its interest; for no doubt the wood of Beech 
and of Hornbeam will prove very similar when charred. I 
believe the Alder to have been much reduced in quantity by 
16 Professor J. Phillips, ‘ Geology of Oxford and the Valley of the 
Thames,’ p. 52. I certainly think the Professor under-estimates the 
antiquity of the Elm in saying that it can only “ be traced back three 
centuries.” 
17 ‘ Geographie Botanique,’ p. 659. 
18 The Kentish name “ Lyndhurst ” is at least as old as the tenth 
century.—Pearson, 1 Historical Maps,’ p. 54. 
19 “ Cerasus, ciris beam, cherry.”—Professor J. Earle, ‘English 
Plant Names from the Tenth to the Fifteenth Century,’ p. 1. 
20 “ Toutes les langues du midi de l’Europe ont, pour cet arbre, des 
noms derives du Fagus des Latins . . . ; de plus, par le changement si 
frequent de / en h, Hay a en espagnol, Hatsch dans le patois de Saint 
Girons, .... Hestre, et maintenant Hetre en fran^ais.les 
Grecs appelaient le Fagus sylvatica O et non Orjyo? .... A mon 
avis, le mot Fagus doit prendre sa source dans les langues celtiques, an- 
terieures au latin.”—DeCandolle, op. cit., p. 689. 
21 Caesar, ‘ De Bello Gallico,’ lib. v., cap. 12, “Materia cuj usque generis ut 
in Gallia est, praeter fagum atque abietem.” “ Cela peut signifier que le 
C 
