196 FOREST TREES. 



Basswood. — Whiie-wood. — Tilia Aineruana (L.^ 



" And humming bees make drowsy music, 

 In the flowery limes." 



" The groves were God's first temples ere man learned 

 To hew the siiaft and lay the architrave, 

 And spread the roof above them.'" 



Our Basswood is closely allied to the Lime or Linden of Europe. 

 It is one of the tallest of our forest trees, and its presence indicates a 

 rich and generous soil, well fitted for the growth and production of 

 wheat, barley, and other cereals. When growing in open ground it 

 becomes a large umbrageous shade tree, forming a magnificent rounded 

 spreading canopy ; unlike most forest trees, it sends up many strong 

 shoots, which, clustering round the parent tree, form groups of vigorous 

 trunks that in course of years bid fair to rival the main central one. 



When in full bloom, the scent of the blossoms fills the air with 

 fragrance, and I might say with music, for they form a great attraction 

 to the bees, which crowd the pendent cream-coloured flowers from which 

 they gather an abundant store of honey, murmuring in low bass notes 

 their satisfaction while they labour. The blossoms of the Basswood 

 are of a rich cream-colour, and hang in pendent cymes from the axils of 

 the large heart-shaped serrated leaves ; the fruit is a round, rough 

 woody-nut, i -celled and 2 -seeded ; attached to the peduncle is a large 

 foliaceous bract, which acts as a sail in distributing the seed when ripe, 

 and by aid of which it is borne by the winds and lodged upon some 

 suitable spot, as if a directing power accompanied the winged wanderer 

 on its way, and laid it down where it would find a space to grow and 

 nourishment for the support of the young plant. The Basswood is a 

 <iuick growing tree, but not very long-lived. The wood is light, white 

 and porous, and though not held in esteem as one of our first rate 

 timber trees, it is yet much used in caliinet and all lighter works ; the 

 wood is soft, close grained and not liable to warp or split. Hurlburt, 

 whom I follow in this description of the Basswood, says : " It is used 

 by musical instrument makers for pianos, also by curriers, shoemakers, 

 and other mechanics ; it turns cleanly, and is much used in the 

 manufacture of bowls, pails, shovels, (.\:c. The weight of a cubic foot 

 is 26 lbs." 



The older settlers used the Basswood much in fencing, but the 

 rails are light and subject to decay, becoming brittle and useless after a 

 few years standing exposed to the action of the elements. J'ine, Cedar 

 and Oak are more weighty and long enduring, and of course i)referable 

 for such purposes. 



