7 8 4 



Yearbook^ of Agriculture 1949 



57. American syca- 58. Yellow-poplar. 59. Southern magnolia. 60. Sweetbay. 

 more. 



wood is used chiefly for fence posts and for fuel and has been used for archery bows 

 and as a source of a yellow dye. 



dd. Juice watery. 



f (ff on p. 793). Winter buds 1 or none at tip of twig; pith of twigs round 

 or nearly so in cross section (star-shaped in Nos. 77 to 80 and 90) ; 

 fruit not an acorn, 

 g. Leaves with 3 to 6 lobes. 



h. Leaves with pointed apex and 3 or 5 lobes. 



i. Leaves star-shaped, deeply 5-lobed SWEETGUM (Liquidambar). 



56. SWEETGUM, Liquidambar styrciflua L. (redgum [lumber], sapgum [lumber], Ameri- 

 can sweetgum, starleaf-gum, bilsted). 



Large tree of eastern third of United States, except northern border; also in Mexico 

 and Central America south to Nicaragua. Bark gray, deeply furrowed. Twigs reddish 

 brown, developing corky ridges. Leaves maplelike, star-shaped, 3 to 7 inches long and 

 wide, with 5 long-pointed, finely toothed lobes, shiny dark green above, paler beneath, 

 slightly aromatic, turning deep crimson in fall. Fruit a brownish, spiny ball 1 to 1 54 inches 

 in diameter. 



Principal uses: Important timber tree in United States, second in production among 

 the hardwoods, the leading furniture wood, and second in veneer production. Also boxes 

 and crates, radio and phonograph cabinets, interior trim and millwork, woodenware 

 and novelties, and slack barrels. Shade tree. The gum, "sweetgum" or storax, is used 

 in perfumes and drugs. 



ii. Leaves heart-shaped, slightly 3-lobed SYCAMORE (Platanus}. 



57. AMERICAN SYCAMORE, Platanus occidentalis L. (American planetree, sycamore, 

 buttonwood, planetree, buttonball-tree ) . 



A very large tree (the largest eastern hardwood in trunk diameter) of wet soils in 

 eastern half of United States and southern Ontario. Bark of branches whitish, thin, 

 smooth; bark of trunk peeling off in large flakes, smoothish, with patches of brown, 

 green, and gray. Leaves heart-shaped, 4 to 8 inches long and wide, slightly 3- or 5-lobed, 

 the shallow, pointed lobes coarsely toothed with long-pointed teeth, with 3 main veins 

 from base, bright green and smooth above, paler and slightly hairy beneath. Fruit a ball 

 1 inch in diameter. 



