42 THE SYCAMORE, 



only proving that the acorns grew on the delicious shores 

 and rocks of Andalusia, which, unhappily, is no longer the 

 case. I have frequently seen them produced by individuals 

 and offered to the company, as hon-hons are in some coun- 

 tries, with a sort of apology for their small intrinsic value." 

 The wood of the Ilex is dark, close-grained, heavy, and 

 hard. It is also durable and flexible, and, says Evelyn, 

 " is serviceable for many uses, as stocks of tools, mallet- 

 heads, mall-balls, chairs, axle-trees, wedges, beetles, pins, 

 and, above all, for palisadoes, and in fortifications. Besides, 

 it affords so good fuel that it supplies all Spain almost 

 with the best and most lasting of charcoals in vast abun- 

 dance." Modern writers on the subject confirm this 

 account, and recommend also its employment in ship- 

 building. 



THE SYCAMOEE. 

 Acer Pseudo-Platanus. 



Natural Order — Agerace^. 

 Class — Octandeia. Orc^er— Monogynia. 



If in my history of forest trees I were to confine myself 

 to those which are universally acknowledged to be in- 

 digenous to Britain, I should soon bring my labours to a 

 close. England, though once a well-wooded country, never 

 probably could boast of containing within it any great 

 variety of species. The Oak, fortunately, no one thinks ' 

 of denying to be our fellow-countryman : if any one were 

 bold enough to do so, we could easily refute him by 

 pointing to living trees older than any of our national 

 records ; or, if that did not suffice, to trunks of trees pre- 

 served in peat-bogs, which were prostrated on their native 

 soil centuries, probably, before the acorns were planted 

 from which any trees now living sprung. Bat this is not 

 the case with the Sycamore No writer on the subject, 



