MAPLE. SYCAMORE. 103 



are placed by Withering in the same class and 

 order as the Mezereon *, and both are natives of 

 England. The wood of the Maple is much used 

 by musical instrument-makers on account of its 

 lightness ; that of the Sycamore is one of the best 

 that can be employed for turning, and it was in 

 universal use for trenchers, before the introduc- 

 tion of earthenware. The Sugar-Maple, A'cer 

 sacchari'nus, grows in great abundance in Penn- 

 sylvania, where sugar is made in large quantities, 

 from the juice or sap obtained by piercing the 

 stem of the tree in spring. This sugar is made 

 nearly in the same manner as that procured from 

 the sugar-cane, of which I have already given you 

 an account. 



The Whortle-berry, or Bilberry, Vaccin'ium 

 myrtil'lus, and Cranberry, Vaccin'ium oxycoc'cus, 

 are in the first order of this class, and grow plen- 

 tifully in Scotland and some parts of England. 

 Whortle-berries are the principal food of the 

 moor-game in Scotland ; and Cranberries are so 

 much liked for making tarts, that they are brought 

 to London from the northern counties of England, 

 and even imported from Russia; as are the berries 

 of another species of Vaccin'ium, the Macro- 



* In the twenty-third class, Polygamia, and order Moncecia, 

 of Linnaeus. 



H 4 



