20.VJ AUBOHITI'M AND F Ill'TI CT.Tl' M . PART III. 



It possesses nearly the same properties as the balsam of Tulu, and that of 

 IVru (both produced by a tree in Brazil), tor which it is often substituted, as 

 well as tor storax. The best liquidambar gum is obtained bv making incisions 

 in the trunk, and suffering the resin to How gradually ; but an interior kind is 

 procured by boiling the small branches and leaves, and collecting the balsamic 

 oil \\hich rises from them, and floats on the surface of the water. In Kngland 

 and in North America, very little gum is produced from the trunk of the tree, 

 though a little exudes from the leaves ; and Michaux informs us that, in re- 

 peated experiments made in Carolina, he was never able to collect more than 

 half an ounce, from a tree 1 ft. in diameter, in a fortnight. In Britain, the 

 principal use of this tree is as an ornament to lawns ami pleasure-grounds ; in 

 which it has a most striking appearance, when the leaves are dying off' in 

 autumn; and it is also very beautiful throughout the summer, from the dark 

 green and glossy surface of its elegantly shaped leaves. When bruised, the 

 leaves are fragrant at all seasons ; but in spring, when they are first un- 

 folding, alter a warm shower, the surrounding air is filled with their refreshing 

 odour. 



Soi/, Propagation, cyr. The liquidambar has a decided preference for a 

 moist soil, and will only attain a timber-like si/e in a sheltered situation. In 

 British nurseries, it is generally propagated by layers, which root with toler- 

 able facility, and may be taken off at the end of the first autumn after they have 

 been formed. It is also propagated by seeds imported from America. These 

 are brought over in the catkins, and should not be taken out of them till 

 the time of sowinir ; because the seeds, like those of the pine and fir tribe, 

 do not keep well when exposed to the air. The round prickly catkins which 

 contain the seeds are hard, and not readily broken with the hand; but, by 

 exposure to the sun, or to fire heat, tliev crack and open, and the seeds may 

 then be easily shaken out. They may be sown and treated like seeds of the 

 pine and fir tribe ; but, unlike them, they lie a year in the ground before 

 coming up. Seedlings generally attain the height of from o in. to H in. the 

 first year, with numerous fibrous roots. They may either be transplanted that 

 year, or the next, and may afterwards undergo the usual routine culture in 

 nursery lines, till they arc wanted for final transplanting. 



Afciilnits, JJiscfiscx, and Insects. The \\ood of the liquidambar being brittle, 

 the branches are liable to be broken off bv very high winds; and the wounds 

 left, if not smoothed and protected from the air, will greatly facilitate the 

 rotting of the tree, the timber of which is naturally not dura-hie. In America, 

 several insects teed on the leaves, amoni: which we may mention the green 

 s\\allow-tailcd emperor moth (/'hahiMia lima AI>1>. ^ Smith, t. 48., and our 

 Jilt. 1 'H>2.) and the great plane moth (/'. imperatoria Ahb. $ Smith, t. -jo., Jiom- 

 \>\\ imperialis l-'af>.). Insects of the former species are not common ; but they 

 are very beautiful; the caterpillar beim: bright orange with yellow spots, and 

 the moth bright \dlow and pink. These insects are very difficult to rear, as 

 the moth generally dies in confinement, before depositing her eirgs. 



e environs of I,(,;i ( |<,t>. at Syon, Sufi. hij:h, the diameter of the trunk 1 ft. Tin., 

 \ it. , in tlic 1 ulh.mi Nursery", [:> years planted, it is 'JO ft. hi^'h. South of London : 

 I.u-combe, 1- years planted, it is L!J ft. high, thodiameter of the trunk Gin., and that 

 in I lamp-hire, at Strathtielusaye, it is Gift, high, the diameter of the trunk 'J ft. Cm., 

 Kn/wai;: in rn-h -ml, n ( ,t much above the level of the river : in Kent, at Cobhani Hall, 1'.) years planted, 

 it i- /.it h.;/h, with a trunk lit. .Jin. in diameter: ill Surrey, at Farnham Castle, on dry chalky 

 oil, 4o war- planted, it i- -jo ft. hi^h, with a trunk 1ft. in diameter; at Woburn Farm, it in up. 

 ward* ni i,<> It. hirh. ; at Ockham Park, ''.> years planted, it is JJ ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 

 to in., and of the head 1.". ft. : in Wiltshire, at \\ardour Castle, ,n \ ears planted, it is 'J.', ft. hitf", the 

 diameter of t he t runk in., and t hat of t he head S ft. North of I/ondon : in JJcdford.-hire, at Ainpt- 

 hill, ,- years planted, it i- 'j.'< ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 1 It., and of the .-pace covered by the 

 I ranches J I It. : in ( he hue, at Katon Hall, l.j years planted, it is U ft. hij/h, the diameter of the 

 trunk .j in., and that of the -pace covered In the branche- In f|. : in Hereford shiic. at \\ormleybury, 

 ear* oil, it i- .,.') ft. hixh, the cii cuintt icnce ol the trunk at the ground .'.ft.: in Moil mouth- 

 lure, at I M le ;ar I'.u 1., ./O years planted, it i- 'J">ft. hi:'h, the diameter <>l the trunk 1 ft., and that of 

 the head "oft. : in Suffolk, at Amptoii Hall, 1'J years planted, it is loft, hi.u-h, the diameter of the 

 trunk .; in., and of the he.ad tiff in Warwickshire, at < 'umbe Abbey, it is ;>7 ft. hi^h, the diameter 

 ol the trunk 1 ft. I'm., and that of the head 'Jl It. : in \VorceMcr>lnre, at ( 'roome. ].', years ].lanted, 

 It hiKh, the diameter of tlie trunk 'lin., and that of the head l.J I:. : in Yoikshne. in the Hull 

 Botanic (Jarilen, llJ years planted, it i-.oft. hixh, the dianu ter ol the trunk 1 'j in. In Scotland. In 

 I, V, >, ,' Vii-erv, I->tiiilmrK>), t year.' -planted, it i- J ft. hi^-h ; the \oung -hoots bein.i,' often injured 

 rn- 'hi- fro.-t. In J',anl!-hae, at (ror.lo,, Ca.-tle, 1J years planted, it i"s |o it. hi^b. the diameter of the 

 ^m In 1 He-hue, at Dambn.-tle I'ark, J yeat.- planted, it is lit. tj in. lngh, t lie diameter 



