232 ENGLISH BOTANY, 



a German writer on forest trees, the wood of the Sycamore is the most valuable of 

 all woods for fuel, both on accoimt of the heat it gives out and the time it continues 

 to barn. Converted into charcoal it is also superior to all other woods. The 

 leaves when cut down and dried form an excellent forage for sheep during the 

 winter. The sap has been drawn from the trees in Germany, and many experiments 

 made with it. It contains a largo quantity of sugar ; thirty-six quarts of sap have 

 been obtained from one tree in five days, and, according to Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, 

 who tried the experiment at Carron Park, Stirlingshire, in 181 G, one hundred and 

 sixteen parts of juice yielded one of sugar. In the Western Highlands and some parts 

 of the Continent it is fermented aud made into wine, the trees being tapped when just 

 coming into leaf. In Scotland children often amuse themselves by cutting openings in 

 the bark and sipping the sap that flows from the wounds. They also play with the 

 large buds that are found on the points of the shoots, which they call "cocks," and the 

 small side-buds " hens." We are reminded by the saccharine nature of the common 

 Sycamore of its near transatlantic relative the Sugar Maple, whose delicious juice forms 

 a most important article in the domestic economy of every New Englandei', either in 

 the form of solid sugar-cakes or a thick luscious syrup. In Scotland the Sycamore tree 

 is often called the Plane tree, and in England it is sometimes known as the Mock Plane. 

 It is the badge of the Oliphant clan of Highlanders. 



SPECIES II.— A CER CAMPESTRE. Linn. 

 Plate CCCXXI. 

 Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. V. Sapind. Tab. CLXII. Fig. 4825. 



Leaves palmately 5-lobed, the lobes scarcely acute and again 

 slightly lobed but not serrate ; the sinus between the lobes rather 

 acute ; underside opaque green. Flowers few, in short, sub-erect 

 corymbose panicles. Wings of the fruit nearly the same width 

 throughout, their backs nearly in a straight line. 



In woods and hedgerows. Common in England, but probably 

 not native in Scotland. 



England, [Scotland], Ireland. Tree. Spring and 

 Early Summer. 



Generally much smaller than A. Pseudo-platanus, being rarely 

 above 20 feet high, and more frequently under 10. Leaves gene- 

 rally from 2 to 4 inches across, with the lobes sub-parallel for 

 half their length, or even narrowed at the base, usually with a few 

 rounded teeth or small lobes, but destitute of the numerous serra- 

 tures of the preceding species. Panicle much shorter, 1 to 2 inches 

 long, with the lower branches so elongated as to convert it into a 

 corymb. Pedicels much longer than those of the last species. 

 Elowers similar. Emit like that of A. Pseudo-platanus, but with 

 the two divisions diverging so much that their wings are brought 

 into nearly the same line, and the latter are less dilated towards 

 the apex. Leaves brighter green, paler but not white below, more 



