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 suggests17 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 Romans 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 wild 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 England21 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, '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 1'Europe ont, pour cet arbre, des
noms derives du Fagus des Latins . . . ; de plus, par le changement si
frequent de f en h, Haya en espagnol, Hatsch dans le patois de Saint
Girons, .... Hestre, et maintenant Hetre en francais. .... les
Grecs appelaient le Fagus sylvatica Οευα et non Φηγος .... 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 cujusque generis ut
in Gallia est, prater fagum atque abietem." "Cela peut signifier que le
C