AMERICAN LIME-TREE. 49 



th ! Other American varieties, are of a dark-green on the upper surface, and 

 w'litish beneath, with small reddish tufts of hairs at the intersections of the prin- 

 cipal nerves. The flowers, which are also larger than those of any other lime-tree 

 in America, appear in June, having petals of a white colour, and of an agreeable 

 odour. The seeds are globose, downy, with five ribs. The wood is white and 

 tender, but is not much used in the arts. 



5. T. A. ALBA GLABRA ( T. heterophylla^ Nuttall.) Smooth-fruited White-leaved 

 American Lime-tree, Large-leaved Lime-tree. The chief difference between this 

 tree and the preceding variety, is, that its branches, when young, are of a pur- 

 plish colour, and somewhat glaucous ; its flowers are more yellow, and its fruit is 

 always without ribs. 



Geography and History. The Tilia americana is found in Canada and 

 the northern parts of the United States. It becomes less abundant towards the 

 south, except on the Alleghanies, where it is found quite at their termination in 

 Georgia. It is profusely multiplied on the borders of Lake Erie, Ontario, and in 

 Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It was cultivated in England by Miller, 

 in 1752, but has not been very extensively distributed. The 'I'ilia americana 

 laxifiora is said to abound from Maryland to Georgia, near the sea coast. It was 

 introduced into Britain in 1820, and is but sparingly cultivated in that country. 

 The Tilia americana pubescens belongs to the southern parts of the United 

 States, Florida, Kentucky, and Texas. It is said to be the only variety found 

 in the maritime parts of Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Seeds of this tree were 

 carried from this country to England by Mark Catesby, in 1726 ; but it does not 

 appear to have been much cultivated. The Tilia americana alba is not met with 

 east of the river Delaware, but it is found in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, 

 Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Georgia. It is said, also, to grow on the river San- 

 tee, in South Carolina, and on the Mississippi. It is remarkable, that, although 

 this variety was known in France in 1755, it should not have been introduced 

 into England till 1811. 



Soil and Situation. Like the European species, the American lime-tree affects a 

 rich, loose, and deep soil ; and seems to prefer, in general, the borders of lakes and 

 rivers, and moist bottom-lands, which are but little subject to inundation. They 

 are all highly ornamental, and well deserve a place in collections, where the cli- 

 mate is adapted to other trees, which naturally grow with them. For instance, the 

 Tilia americana will grow where the sugar maple, white ash, and hemlock 

 spruce will best thrive ; the Tilia americana pubescens with the Magnolia grandi- 

 flora ; and the Tilia americana alba with the tulip-tree, and the sycamore 

 (platanus.) 



Propagation and Culture. All the varieties of this species may be propagated 

 from seeds, by cuttings, and by grafting ; but, from the facility with which they 

 can be multiplied by layers, the former mode should rarely be adopted. 



Insects. The insects which prey upon the Tilia americana are but few. 

 Those which prove the most injurious are the Hyberuia tiliaria, or lime-tree 

 moth, of Harris, and the Saperda vestita, of Say. The Chrysomela scalaris of 

 Le Conte, also inhabits this species, as well as the Papilio turnus, or swallow- 

 tailed butterfly, well known, from Newfoundland to Mexico. There is often an 

 appearance in the foliage of this species, the cause of which is unknown, unless it 

 is the work of some minute insects. The leaves become corroded or destroyed 

 in many trees of the same forest, so that it is difficult to find a perfect leaf, except 

 such as have just been unfolded. Whatever the cause may be, the effect is very 

 detrimental to the beauty of the tree. 



The Tilia americana alba is devoured by the larvrc of the Papilio comma 

 aureum, or American comma butterfly. In Sniitli and Abbot's " Insects of 

 Georgia," it is stated that the larva suspended itself by the tail, May 29thj 



7 



