58 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



a slightly yellowish or greenish tint. Specific Gravity, 0.7287; Percentage 

 of Ash, 1.09; Relative Approximate Fuel Value, 0.7208; Coefficient of 

 Elasticity, 68527; Modulus of Rupture, 789; Resistance to Longitudinal 

 Pressure, 421; Resistance to Indentation. 217; Weight of a Cubic Foot in 

 Pounds, 45.41. 



USES. Owing to the general scarcity of this tree, little can be said 

 of its uses. It seems to be nowhere abundant enough to enter largely 

 into any particular branch of manufacture. It is sometimes used by 

 wheel- wrightg, etc., as a substitute for Elm, with which it is allied in 

 physical properties as well as botanically. 



MEDICINAL PROPERTIES. So far as known, this species is of no 

 medicinal value. 



NOTE. Such is the general scarcity of these trees that they are usually 

 looked upon, by the people at large, as strangers wherever found, and 

 sometimes they become trees of considerable note. 



One of this nature is found near the New York Central railroad, 

 between Palatine Bridge and Spraker's, just north of the track and 

 within the railroad enclosure. Ordinarily it would have been cut down 

 when the road was laid, but the people residing in its vicinity petitioned 

 the railroad authorities to let it remain. The request was granted, and 

 the tree still stands, famous far and near in that section and to the rail- 

 road employes as the "Unknown Tree," Before visiting this tree to 

 ascertain its identity, my father predicted that I would find it a rep- 

 resentative of this species, remarking that he had several times, in his 

 travels here and there in this country, been shown to what the people 

 called (i unknown trees/' and in every case had found them to be of this 

 species. I found him right in his prediction regarding this tree. It 

 proved to be a fine specimen of its kind, 10 ft. 8 in. (3.25 m.) in girth, 

 two ft. (0.60 m.) from the ground. 



We know of two representatives of this species on the Black river 

 bank, in northern New York, having variegated foliage. 



ORDER FLATANACE-ffi: PLANE-TREE FAMILY. 



Leaves simple, alternate, pal mately- veined and lobed, with sheathing scarious 

 stipules. Flowers monoecious, destitute of both calyx and corolla, in separate and 

 globular heads. Sterile flowers numerous; stamens intermixed with small, club- 

 shaped scales; filaments very short; anthers 2-celled, linear. Fertile flowers: pistils 

 intermixed with little scales; ovaries inversely pyramidal; style simple, awl-shaped, 

 stigmatic on one side. Fruit a small, club-shaped, coriaceous nutlet, with bristly, 

 tawny down at its base, and containing a single, pendulous, albuminous seed. 



Represented by trees. 



GENUS PLATANUS, L, 



Characters as given for the order, this being the only genus. 



(The name Platanus is from the Gk., nXarvt, broad, probably in reference to the 

 leaves.) 



