260 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



Xiiquidambar orientalis, Miller (L. imberbe, Alton.) 



Asia Minor. This tree also yields Liquid Storax, which is 

 vanilla-scented, containing much styrol and styracin, and thus used 

 for imparting scent to some sorts of tobacco and cigars, also for 

 keeping moths from clothing. Its use in medicine is more limited 

 than in perfumery. 



Liquidambar styraciflua, Linne. 



The Sweet-Grum tree. In morasses and on the springs of forests 

 of Eastern North-America, with a wide geographic range. 

 Endures severe frosts after the plant has attained considerable size. 

 Succeeds on a great variety of soils [B. E. Fernow]. The ramifica- 

 tions of the tree attain vast dimensions ; the stem to about 100 feet 

 in height and to 10 feet in diameter. The wood is reddish-brown, 

 very compact and heavy, fine-grained, durable, easily worked, little 

 liable to warp, and admitting of a fine finish, with its pleasing tint, 

 especially adapted for furniture. The terebinthiiie juice hardens, 

 on exposure, to a resin of benzoin odor, The bark contains about 

 8 per cent, tannin. Leaves fragrant, turning crimson in autumn 

 [Asa Gray]. 



Ziiriodendron tulipifera, Linne. 



The Tulip-tree of North-America. One of the largest trees of 

 the United States, and one of the grandest vegetable productions 

 of the temperate zone. In deep fertile soil and cool valleys it 

 sometimes attains a height of about 140 feet, with a straight clear 

 stem reaching 9 feet in diameter. In Norway it is hardy to lat. 

 61 17' [Schuebeler]. The Tulip-wood is highly esteemed and 

 very extensively used, wherever this tree abounds, uniting light- 

 ness with handsomeness. It is of a light-yellow color, fine-grained, 

 compact, easily worked and takes a good polish. It is employed 

 for house-building inside, for bridges, cheap furniture, implements, 

 shingles, pumps, wooden- ware, boat-building, and a variety of other 

 purposes. On account of its uniformity and freedom from knots 

 and its disinclination to warp or shrink, much used in Canada for 

 railway-cars and carriage-building, chiefly for the panelling [Kobb]. 

 The bark yields about 8 per cent, tannin. As this tree is difficult to 

 transplant, it should be grown on the spot, where it is to remain. 

 Professor Meehan observes, that it is of quicker growth than the 

 Horse- Chestnuttree and many Maples. In forest- valleys of the 

 colony Victoria plants gained in a few years a height of over 20 

 feet [Ch. French]. The flowers yield to bees much honey; indeed 

 Mr. Langstroth speaks of the Tulip-tree as one of the greatest 

 honey-producers in the world ; as its large flowers expand in suc- 

 cession, new swarms will sometimes fill their hives from this source 

 alone. A variety of this seems to occur as indigenous in China. 



