58 THE OCCIDENTAL PLANE. 



as well to the refrefhment *>f the philofo- 

 pher in his academic groves, as to the 

 pleafure of the bacchanalian, who held 

 his revels under its fhade, and with ap- 

 propriate gratitude fed its roots with wine. 

 In thofe countries it grows to be one of the 

 tailed and moft fpreading of trees. With 

 us it feldom arrives at a capital fize, though 

 the fmoothnefs of its trunk, and fullnefs of 

 its large leaves, render it a ftriking and 

 confpicuous object. The occidental plane 

 is a native of North Ameriga, and is the 

 moft common here of the two. Both Ipe- 

 cies delight in a moift fituation, and are 

 quick growers. They greatly refemble 

 each other, the difference being chiefly in 

 the leaf, which in the oriental is palmated 

 or fingered like the hand, in the occidental 

 is divided into lobes. They have the pro- 

 perty of annually throwing off their bark in 

 fcales. 



THE 



