SYCAMORE: BUTTONWOOD : BUTTONBALL : 



Platanus ocddentalis 



THIS tree is burdened with nine names. The Indian 

 name, when translated into English, was " Big Stockings." 

 Those most commonly applied to it are "Button wood" and 

 " Buttonball," and these were, no doubt, chosen from the 

 ball form of its fruit. Platanus is the classical name for 

 the Oriental Plane Tree, now known to botanists as P. ori- 

 entalis, which is largely planted for ornament in Europe, 

 and has lately been introduced into this country. 



No one who has taken a good look at this tree will fail 

 to recognize it afterwards, although few trees so change 

 their general outline and form of crown when passing from 

 youth to old age. From early to nearly middle life, it sends 

 up a straight stem with straight limbs slanting upward and 

 forming, when in the open, a formal and regular pyramid 

 from near the ground to a pointed apex at the top. When 

 it is approaching its height growth, whether growing in 

 the open or in a crowd, limbs that were once straight and 

 regular begin to droop and straggle and assume irregular 

 shapes, with bends and crooks, and the crown is wholly un- 

 like that in early life. When grown crowded, it shoots up 

 a tall, straight stem free from limbs for two thirds of its 

 height. Groves of young trees may be frequently seen, 

 where the stand is crowded, that have the appearance of 

 a mass of painted poles with a few stag-horn branches at 

 the top. Being very intolerant of shade, it seeks to obtain 

 light and outstrip its competitors. 



It has another peculiarity, wherein it differs from most 

 trees. Like all others it annually forms a layer of live bark 

 next to the cambium, and as regularly an annual layer dies 

 on the outside of the live bark ; but instead of being elastic, 

 or accommodating itself to the increasing size of the tree, 



