Handbook of Trees of the N"ortiieen States and Cj 



229 



This stately tree is considered the largest 

 deciduous tree of tlie North Anierican forests, 

 In the ricli bottom-lands of the ]o«er Ohio 

 and the jMississip])i valleys it towers to the 

 height of one hundred and fifty to one hundred 

 and seventy-five ft. and its trunk is some- 

 times ten or eleven ft. in diameter alicive its 

 tapering base. The trunk commonly divides 

 into two or three large secondary trunks, which 

 raise its irregular or rounded head far above 

 the tops of most of tlie neighboring trees; or 

 it may have a single columnar trunk of great 

 height but often curved or leaning. 



A striking feature is the wdiite bark of its 

 branches, and as its favorite al)ode is tlie 

 banks of streams their winding courses may 

 be traced from an eminence liy the white 

 branches of the Sycamores which line their 

 banks. (,)uite as interesting as the bark of 

 these whitewashed branches is tliat of tlie 

 }'oung triudvs and the bas<'s of large lindis, as 

 it is pied of many enh:)rs, as sh(}\\'n in our 

 jiicture, ace(U-ding t(j the varying length of 

 time the scales of outer bark ha\'c been off, 



Tlie wood, of wliicli a cul)ic foot weighs 30.40 

 lbs., is tougli, strong, and very ditheult to 

 sjilit, anfl is used in the manufacture of boxes, 

 crates, butchers' bhu-ks. etc and when cut 

 quartering mil<rs a handsome liiml»er for in- 

 tej'ior finishing, furniture, ete.^ 



Linvis widi'-orhicular in onlline. palmatel,v 3-.^)- 

 lobed, with mostly broad siuualc-dentate acuminate 

 lobes and wide sinuses ; stipules on vigorous shoots 

 1 to iy2 in. long. FJnirrrn: pistill.ate peduncles 

 u.sualbv bearing one but sometimes two heads. 

 Priii/.' heads from 1-1 'i in. in diameter, usually 

 solitary on glalifoiis stem ^l-ii in. long; akenes 

 truncate or rounded at apix.- 



1. .\. W., 1, Vi. 



-. Eor genns se 



p. -I.-.T 



