PLATANACEAE 153 



PLATANUS, Linnaeus. The Sycamores. (Plane-trees of 

 the Old World) 



Platanus occidentalis, L. Sycamore. (Called Buttonwood in 

 New England. ) 



One of our largest hardwood trees, differing from all others 

 in eastern North America in its conspicuously spotted bark, the 

 older portions peeling off in large brown flakes and exposing the 

 whitish newer bark beneath. The inconspicuous flowers appear 

 with the leaves in spring. 



It is planted in streets and parks in all the eastern states, and 

 is said to stand smoke better than any other tree. There is a little 

 prejtidice against it however on account of the Ijark littering up 

 the ground and the fine stiff hairs which fall from the leaves in 

 spring and sometimes irritate human lungs, giving rise to what is 

 known in Europe as the "Platanus cough." That must be rare in 

 this country, but I have been told of a place in Georgia where all 

 the sycamores in the streets were cut down 25 years ago or more, 

 because they were believed to cause consumption. 



The wood is rather difficult to work, and not very strong or 

 durable, but it is a favorite material for butchers' chopping blocks, 

 on account of its compactness and large dimensions. It is said to 

 be the preferred material for tobacco boxes, especially in Vir- 

 ginia. More rarely it is made into veneering, furniture, interior 

 finish, and ox-yokes. 



References : Brush 1. 



The sycamore grows in moderately fertile soil along streams 

 of all sizes, and is widely distributed over the state outside of the 

 long-leaf pine regions. As a rule the more fertile the soil the 

 farther it extends up small streams. It seems to constitute nearly 

 5 per cent of the present forest in the Tennessee Valley, and nearly 

 as much in the black belt, but of course before the country was 

 settled, when the uplands were well wooded, its relative abundance 

 was much less. It seems to be rare in regions 1 C, 2 A. 10 E, 12 

 and 13. and absent or nearly so in 4. 6 B. and 15. South of the 

 black belt it is chiefly confined to the banks of the larger muddy 

 streams, extending down the Alabama River to near Stockton, the 

 Conecuh to near Brewton. the Pea to near Geneva, and the Chat- 



