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152, The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland
DISTRIBUTION
The most complete and recent account of the tree is a monograph cited above
with maps by Prof. H. Conwentz, who describes at great length the various places
where the tree is found and the conditions under which it grows. It is widely dis
tributed throughout most of the woods and forests of Europe, but does not occur
in Scandinavia, Holland, or the greater part of Russia, where it is only met with in
the southern provinces. It also occurs in the Caucasus, Asia Minor, Syria, and in
Algeria. It is found on most geological formations, including granite in the Vosges,
gneiss in Siberia, and basalt in Austria; and it prefers a soil rich in humus. Will-
komm says that on mountains it is commoner on limestone than on other soils, but
the French foresters say that it is practically met with on all soils that are not very
dry or very wet. It is a tree of the lowlands and hills, attaining 700 metres altitude
near Zurich, 1200 in Herzegovina, and 1900 in the Caucasus. It occurs more or
less rarely over all parts of Germany, especially in the north-east, and it attains its
maximum size in the royal forest of Osche in West Prussia. The largest tree known
to Conwentz was "25 metres high, with a clean stem of 12 metres, and a girth at
i metre from the ground of 2 metres." The age of this tree was estimated from
the rings in the broken trunk of another tree at 235 years.
The scarcity of the tree, as a rule, cannot be accounted for by any deficiency in
reproductive powers, for the fruit is produced in some abundance in good years ; and
being eaten by many birds and animals, among which the waxwing chatterer, the nut
cracker, and the fieldfare are mentioned, the seeds must be widely dispersed, while
the freedom with which the roots produced suckers is remarked upon.
The timber seems to be much more highly valued in Germany than here, from
18 to 52 marks per cubic metre being given for it, according to quality, in places
where hornbeam is only worth n marks. It is very hard and durable, and takes a
fine polish like that of maple.
In the Hartz mountains and Thuringia it is known as "Atlasholz," and is
much used and valued for furniture making.
The fruit is not so much valued as formerly, when it was sold in Prague and
Vienna in the winter at the market, and also in Wurtemburg, under the names of
Haspele, Arlesbeere, or Adlsbeere.
Conwentz says that the Latin name torminalis was derived from the Latin word
tormina, and given on account of the properties of the fruit, to which one of its
names in England, "griping service tree," also has reference.
In Upper Alsace a spirit is distilled from the fruit, which tastes something like
Kirschwasser.
DISTRIBUTION AND REMARKABLE TREES IN ENGLAND
Pyrus torminalis does not occur as a wild tree, and is rarely planted in Ireland,
Scotland, or the North of England. Its range is from Anglesea and Nottingham
southwards. It is known as the service or griping service tree; and in Kent and
Pyrus 153
Sussex the fruit is called chequers. It is found in woods, copses, and hedgerows,
usually on loam or clay, but does not seem to grow on sandy soils. It attains its
greatest size in the Midland counties, where it reaches a height of from 50 to 70
feet. It never seems to be gregarious, and though it reproduces itself by seed or
suckers, yet being usually looked on as underwood and not allowed to grow up to
its full size, does not attract notice, and is unknown except to the most observant
woodmen, even in districts where it occurs. In the vale of Gloucester, on the Earl
of Ducie's property, there are probably thirty or forty trees of it scattered over a
considerable area. The tallest of these, though not the thickest, is in Daniel's
Wood, and is figured (Plate 47). This tree was 62 feet by 5 feet i inch in 1904,
and is still growing vigorously among other trees and underwood. Not far off is
another which may grow to as fine a tree.
In the Cotswold Hills the tree is very rare. I only know a single decaying
specimen of moderate size in Chedworth Wood, close to the road leading from
Withington to Chedworth Downs.
On Ashampstead Common, in Berks, I found one about 65 feet high and 8 feet
in girth, crowded among other trees, which had produced a few suckers. At
Rickmansworth Park, Herts, are two fine trees growing together by a pond,
which are probably planted (Plate 48), and which Henry measured in 1904, when
they were 65 feet by 8 feet 3 inches, and 63 feet by 9 feet i inch respectively. The
largest specimen known to me is at Walcot, Shropshire, growing on a bank in good
soil with a wych elm crowding it on one side, but probably planted. It measures
as nearly as I could estimate about 80 feet high, and is no less than 8 feet 9 inches
in girth.
At Cobham Hall, Kent, a tree planted beside a pond measured 55 feet high by
4^ feet in 1906.
In the woods in Worcestershire, as I am informed by Mr. Woodward, it is not
uncommon, but is not looked upon as of any value. There is a tree at Arley
5 feet i inch in girth. In Wych wood Forest, Oxon, now nearly all destroyed, I am
informed by Mr. R. Claridge Druce, of Oxford, the tree was formerly common
enough for its fruit to be collected and sold in Witney market under the name
of service berries.
In Cornbury Park, and in the remains of the forest outside it, there are at least
six good-sized trees surviving. Of these the largest, just outside the park wall on the
south side, is 65 to 70 feet high by 6 feet 6 inches in girth, a well-shaped, vigorous
tree, which on i6th October 1905 was covered with unripe fruit. Another, also
outside the park, is about 50 feet by 6 feet 10 inches, with a fine clean bole 12 to 14
feet long. I saw no suckers or seedlings near these trees.
In the woods and coppices north and north-east of London, and in Herts, the
tree is not unfrequent on clay soil, and Pryor * gives several localities for it.
In Epping Forest, Mr. E. N. Buxton tells me that he does not know of more
than thirty trees on an area of 3000 acres, growing on heavy gravelly clay. The
largest in his grounds is 40 to 50 feet high.
> Flora of Hertfordshire, 1 54(1887).