AMENTALES. 487 



5. Biibyloniea, the weeping willow of Persia, ia well known under 

 cultivation. 



8. alba and other large species of Europe furnish a light firm wood, 

 mucli used for many purposes. 



By charring the wood a fine charcoal is obtained, much used in the 

 manufacture of gunpowder. Tu ihe prairies of the Mississippi Valley 

 the species last named is planted in compact rows to serve for hedges 

 and to break the force of the violent winds. 



Some of the larger of our many native species might profitably be 

 used for their light timber, which ia some cases is quite durable. 



Populus Canadends, the Cottonwood of Korth America, is a very 

 large tree, whose white wood is suited to many manufacturing pur- 



The " Lombardy Poplar," a variety of P. nigra, and a native prob- 

 ably of Western and Northern Asia, and the Abele tree (P. alba) of 

 Europe, are commonly grown on large grounds. 



Order Casuariuese. — Leafless trees, with pendulous Equisetum-like 

 jointed stems. Twenty five species, mostly natives of Australia, are 

 known. Some of them are large enough to supply a valuable timber 

 for ship-building, and many are favorites for ornamental purposes in 

 Australia. 



Order Myricacese. — Monoecious or dioecious shrubs, often with a 

 glandular waxy pubescence. The tliirty to thirty-five species are 

 widely distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone, and in trop- 

 ical Asia and South Africa. 



The berries of Myrica cenfera. tlie Bayberry, of the Eastern United 

 States, and other species in Europe are covered with a wax, which is 

 gathered and made into candles. 



Order Platanacese.— The Plane Tree Family. A small group of 

 five monoecious trees, with the flowers in globose catkins. 



Platanus oecidentaMn, the Phine tree, Buttouwood, or Sycamore of 

 the Eastern United States, is a large tree with thin white bark. Its 

 reddish, wood is valuable, and should be more used. A nearly related 

 species occurs in California and two in Mexico. The fifth, P. oriental- 

 is, is the only Old World species. 



Order Betulacese. — The Birch Family. Monoecious trees with 

 flowers in slender catkins. The species, forty or more in number, are 

 lound throughout tlie North Temperate Zone, and in South America. 



Betula alba, of Northern Europe, Northern Asia, and North America, 

 is a useful species. Its wood is valuable for fuel, use in manufactures, 

 and for making into charcoal. Its bark is made into shoes, boxes, etc. ; 

 it is used in tanning leather, and from it by distillation an oil is ob- 

 tained which gives to Russia leather its peculiar scont. The people in 

 the high north latitudes also use the cellular and starchy part of the 

 bark for food. 



