THE WESTERN PLANE. 300 
the joyous season of summer she has been making 
and perfecting a beautiful and elaborate system 
of envelopes in anticipation of the autumnal fall, 
and of the wintry cold. Upon the tender bud 
she has placed a garment of silky softness. Upon 
this she has laid some fur-lined scales, and she 
has enwrapped the whole in wet-proof, resinous 
cases. When the young leaf at length appears, 
it is found to be covered on its under side with 
the silky down with which the bud was clothed 
erewhile: another proof of the loving care of 
Nature in guarding from the chance colds of 
abnormal spring-time the tender tissues of the 
golden leaf. Perfect, and beautiful indeed, are 
the works of the Almighty Creator of the natural 
world! 
Though the wood of the Plane is beautifully 
grained, will admit of being highly polished, and 
is used, abroad, for the purposes of the cabinet- 
maker, the carpenter, and the joiner, it is not 
highly esteemed for its quality. But there is 
value, beyond price, in the delightful spread of 
its beautiful and health-giving foliage, and in 
the sociability which leads it to display its 
