PINE PLANE. 293 



pith-rays ; pith-rays numerous and broad, occupying nearly half 

 the surface and producing a pretty figure ; vessels scarcely recog- 

 nizable. Formerly used for "dug-out" boats at Mount Athos, 

 and by the Turks for ship-building; in Persia and the Levant 

 employed for cabinet-work, turnery, and carpentry, and in France 

 as a substitute for Beech or Hornbeam. 



FIG. 59. Transverse section of Plane (Pldtanus occidentdlis). 



Plane, Western or Occidental (Pldtanm occidentdlis L.) 

 Eastern North America. Known also as "Sycamore, Button- 

 wood, Water-Beech, Button-ball Tree," or when cut radially as 

 "Lace-wood" or "Honeysuckle Wood." French "Platane 

 Americain, Platane de Virginie." Height 120 ft.; diam. 1014 ft. 

 or more. S.G. 568. W 51-535-4. R 635 kilos. Sapwood 

 wider than in the Beech, yellowish ; heart reddish- white, 

 resembling Beech, except that the broad pith- rays are far more 

 prominent ; rather heavy, rather hard, compact, stiff, tough, not 

 very strong, usually cross-grained, difficult to split, but, when 

 dry, easy to cut in every direction, liable to warp, not durable if 



