78 TREES IN NATURE, MYTH & ART 



the sycamore than the hornbeam for the beech ; 

 the alternative name for the sycamore, false 

 plane, being due to a confusion of the two 

 trees by the Scots. The plane is an exotic, 

 but has made itself quite at home, particularly 

 in London, where it thrives better than any 

 other tree. This fact has given the tree an 

 important place in modern art ; for the im- 

 pressionists have discovered that there is in 

 London, in its streets, avenues and parks, 

 almost inexhaustible material for pictures ; and 

 the plane, therefore, is often to be seen in 

 painting and drawing. There are two 

 varieties, distinguished by minor differences, 

 and known as the oriental and the occidental 

 plane. The former is the kind most generally 

 seen in London. Evelyn speaks of it as *' the 

 incomparable and shady Platanus, that so 

 beautiful and precious tree which we read the 

 Romans brought out of the Levant, and culti- 

 vated with so much industry and cost, for its 

 stately and proud head only ; that they would 

 irrigate them with wine instead of water ; and 

 so prized the very shadow of it, that when 

 afterwards they transplanted them into France, 

 they exacted a tribute of any of the natives 



