-6 THE SYCAMORE. 



knotted and rinired with scars : ayiiiii, a pair of t\vi<rs curved round 

 into semi-circular form terminate the branches. 



The cause of this departing trom the vigorous and regidar 

 cliaracter ot the \oung tree is t\voU>ld. Firstly, the growth ot the 

 twig ends wherever a tiower is developed, and, in the second place, 

 the arrangement ot the leaves is not as with the lime or beech, 

 alternate and in the same plane with the bough, but on long petioles 

 and in opposite pairs, set at right angles. This necessitates the 

 growth ot the twigs in an upriglit direction, or tor those developed 

 from buds on the under side, in a horizontal upward curve. 



The main trunk ot the tree is well marked trom root to crown ; 

 for although it otten divides into two at no great height trt)m the 

 ground, the twin stems continue upward side by side, and give oli" 

 boughs that are slight in proportion to those ot an oak or alder, 

 where it is trequently dillicult to distinguish the larger limbs trcjiii 

 the trunk. 



The terminal twigs, in tull grown Sycamores, are short, and the 

 flat leaves lie close together and torm dense masses ot horizontal 

 foliajie ; but un the other hand the boughs are tew in number toi' 

 the size of tfie tree, so that, even umier the summer leatage, the 

 trunk is not entirely concealed. 



In young trees the stem is smooth and round, but with age it 

 becomes buttressed. 



The roots are spreading, and, like the beech, the trunk a[->pears 

 to he growing out ot the ground, i-ather than, like many ot the 

 pines, to have been planted into it. 



The boughs ot the Sycamore decrease in length towards the 

 apex of the tree with such regularity, the twigs are so bluntcik the 

 masses of foliage so compact, thir there are tew curves in the 



