Flora of Ashdown Forest - Botanical Society of the British Isles

47Ulmusx hollandica f?U. glabra x minor, and possibly with U. p/otii too). Dutch elm.One tree by road west of Old lands Farm (475.267), pH 7.3, 1995, TR & G. M. Kay. Theidentity of this tree is not certain, but it differs markedly from the local U. procera in havingbig leaves and is suckering along the hedgerow.] -++-----'-+--4 5Ulmus procera. English elm, Elven.Frequent on the south side of the Forest, and in 43L (Hall 1980).Small tree on east side of A22, Forest Row (424.349), 1994, RN & ER; frequent inHollybush Wood (441.270) - our only woodland record where it occurs in both squares withmany suckers, 1995, TR & PA; at entrance to Hunter's Farm (450.265) in hedges to west and] -\--I-~~-----'-+--- south-east in several places along the A22, 1994/5, TR; four small trees by A22 south of theWilliam IV (446.272); shaw near Boringwheel Mill Farm (453.263), 1995, TR; hedge east ofColeman's Hatch Church, including a large tree and many suckers (450.338), 1994, TR;hedge south of Holly Cottage (479.266), 1995, TR; un localized in 44.34, 1994, TR. The4 5elms near Nutley appear to be one clone, but they may be different from the clone atColeman's Hatch.English elm usually likes rich soils on clays, consequently it is not found on the Forest, and similarly is uncommon innorth-east Sussex (Hall 1980) where the soils are unsuitable. Common and widespread in Britain and Europe, and probablyendemic.For anyone interested in the history and ecology of elms, the chapter in Rackham (1986) is highly recommended.CANNABACEAE* Cannabis sativa. Cannabis.One plant 15 cm tall on A22 verge by lay-by at entrance to Pippingford Park (437.303)oblivious to the traffic but it did not last long, 1995, TR & PA. Odd patches are reputed to besown on the Forest but get eaten by rabbits.Originally from Asia, and notably casual in Britain.3 -++---"''---~'-+---4 5Humulus lupulus. Hop.The cultural importance of this plant cannot be over-emphasised. 'Hopped ale' or beer wasfirst brewed in England in the fifteenth century, and was initially regarded as adulterated. Itwas accepted when the resinous compounds in the hops helped to preserve the ale longer inwarm weather (Drummond & Wilbraham 1939). The hops were first imported from the3 continent, but by the sixteenth century hop gardens were well established in the High Wealdand even supplied the London markets (Warren & Alford 1994). The number of oast housesaround the county indicates the large areas devoted to hops, and some are still grown todayalthough the quantities have dropped dramatically due to imports. Weak beer, mead and cider4 5 were once essential as drinks, the brewing process purifying unclean water.There are eight tetrad records in Hall (1980), and we have also recorded it quite widely,mainly from road verges and hedges. The name "Cackle" Street may be derived from "cockle", a seventeenth century termfor a hop drying kiln. To judge from the oast houses still present in Nutley, Toll Lane and Fairwarp, hops were grownaround the southern edge of the Forest, and our records are presumably mainly from colonist plants rather than relicts ofcultivation (plants at Wych Cross reservoir and opposite 'Wood Reeves car park are female). As a native it probablyoccurred on rich alluvial soils along rivers, where it still occurs today. The native distribution in Britain and Europe has beenmuch obscured by planting, but it was probably widespread. It also occurs in western Asia and North America.