XIII. ^CEUA^CE^: ^^CER. 



87 



Seedting. In Hayne's Dendrologische Flora there are, also, the following va- 

 rieties : A. P. stenoptera, A. P. vtacroptera, and A. P. ?uia'6ptera, which differ 

 in the proportions of the wings of the keys, and do not appear worth farther 

 notice. In all seed beds and young plantations some of the plants will be 

 found with the petioles and the buds red, and others with the petioles and 

 the buds greenish yellow : such trees, when of considerable size, are very 

 distinct in their general aspect, when in bud, and when they have newly 

 come into leaf; but after midsummer, when the leaves are fully maturecl, 

 and begin to get rusty, the trees are scarcely distinguishable. Different 

 plants also differ much in the time of their coming into leaf, and of drop- 

 ping their leaves ; and some of the more remarkable of these it miglit be 

 worth while to propagate by extension. 



152. ^Ver Fseudo-Pliitanus. 



The growth of the common sycamore is very rapid compared with that of 

 must other species of J'cer, particularly when it is in a deep, free, rich soil, 

 and in a mild climate. It arrives at its full growth in 50 or 60 years ; but it 

 requires to be 80 or 100 years old before its wood arrives at perfection. In 

 marshy soil, or in dry sand, and even on chalk, the tree never attains any size. 

 It produces fertile seeds at the age of 20 years, but flowers several years 

 sooner ; sometimes even perfecting its seeds sooner also. The longevity of 

 the tree is from 140 to 200 years, though it has been known of a much greater 

 age. The wood weighs per cubic foot, newly cut, 64 lb. ; half-dry, 56 lb= ; 

 dry, 48 lb. It loses, in drying, about a twelfth part of its bulk. When the 

 tree is young, it is white ; but, as the tree gets older, the wood becomes a little 

 yellow, and often brown, especially towards the heart. It is compact and 

 firm, without being very hard ; of a fine grain, sometimes veined, susceptible 

 of a high polish, and easily worked, either on the bench, or in the turning- 

 lathe. It does not warp, and is not likely to be attacked by worms. It is 

 used in joinery and turnery, and cabinet-making ; by musical instrument 

 makers ; for cider-presses ; and, sometimes, for gun-stocks. Formerly, when 

 wooden dishes and spoons were more used than they are at present, it was 

 much in demand, especially in Scotland, by the manufacturers of these articles. 

 As underwood, the sycamore shoots freely from the stool, to the age of 80 or 

 100 years. As a timber tree, it is most advantageously cut down at the age 

 of 80 years, or from that age to lOO. As an ornamental tree, it produces the 

 best eiTect, either singly, or in groups of two or three, placed sufficiently near 

 to form a whole, but not so as to touch each other ; and in rows or avenues. 

 The varieties with variegated leaves are very ornamental in the beginn:iig ot 



G 4' 



