464 The Natural History of Selborne 



SYCAMORE. 



MAY 12. The sycamore or great maple is in bloom, and at 

 this season makes a beautiful appearance, and affords much 

 pabulum for bees, smelling strongly like honey. The foliage 

 of this tree is very fine, and very ornamental to outlets. All 

 the maples have saccharine juices. WHITE. 



GALLS OF LOMBARDY POPLAR. 



THE stalks and ribs of the leaves of the Lombardy poplar are 

 embossed with large tumours of an oblong shape, which by 

 incurious observers have been taken for the fruit of the 

 tree. These galls are full of small insects, some of which 

 are winged, and some not. The parent insect is of the 

 genus of cynips. Some poplars in the garden are quite 

 loaded with these excrescences. WHITE. 



CHESTNUT TIMBER. 



JOHN CARPENTER brings home some old chestnut trees which 

 are very long ; in several places the wood-peckers had begun 

 to bore them. The timber and bark of these trees are so 

 very like oak, as might easily deceive an indifferent observer, 

 but the wood is very shaky, and towards the heart cup-shaky 

 (that is to say, apt to separate in round pieces like cups), so 

 that the inward parts are of no use. They are bought for the 

 purpose of cooperage, but must make but ordinary barrels, 

 buckets, &c. Chestnut sells for half the price of oak; but 

 has sometimes been sent into the king's docks, and passed 

 off instead of oak. WHITE. 



