THE SYCAMORE 159 



near the fine old castle of Cassilis, one of tlie seats of 

 the Marquis of Ailsa, on the banks of the River Doon. 

 It was used by the family of Kennedy for the purpose 

 above mentioned." 



From its regular form and its summer shade the 

 Sycamore is suitable for planting in the park, or to 

 form a quick-growing screen ; and from its rapid but 

 rigid growth it is better adapted to act as a "nurse" to 

 young Oaks, or other valuable timber-trees, than are 

 some other species, because it will not lash the young 

 leaders when blown by wind. The leaves, however, 

 are so infested with " honey-dew " as to render the 

 Sycamore somewhat unsuitable to the lawn. Like 

 that of all the Maple tribe, its sap is rich in sugar, 

 which has in fact been fermented into a wine ; and 

 this sugary sap is excreted not only as honey in the 

 flowers, but also by the aphides which feed upon the 

 leaves, when it is known as " honey-dew." 



Sir Thomas Dick Lauder truly observes that " the 

 spring tints of the Sycamore are rich, tender, glowing 

 and harmonious ; in summer its deep green hue 

 accords weU. with its grand and massive form, and the 

 brown and dingy reds of its autumnal tints harmonise 

 well with the mixed grove, to which they give a fine 

 depth of tone." To this panegyric, Mr. Selby, the 

 author of the beautiful "History of British Forest 

 Trees," adds : — " The colour of the bark is also agree- 

 able to the eye, being of a fine ash grey, frequently 

 broken into patches of different hues, by the peeling 

 off, in old trees, of large flakes of the outer bark in the 

 manner of the Plane. . . . Vying in point of magni- 

 tude with the Oak, the Ash, and other trees of the 



