346 "THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 
is a tree of noble growth, in many respects resembling the 
Sycamore, with its large palmate leaves. Its wood is fine-grained 
and hard, and when old it acquires dark veins, somewhat 
resembling Walnut-tree. P. occidentalis ranges from Mexico to 
Canada. 
The Plane-tree is one of the largest trees of temperate regions. 
Pliny relates that in his time there existed a celebrated Plane-tree 
in Lycia, the hollow trunk of which formed a kind of grotto, mea- 
suring 90 feet in circumference. Its branching arms resembl 
a little forest; the branches composing it covered an immense 
‘space of ground. The hollow of the trunk was carpeted with 
moss, which gave it still more the appearance of a natural grotto. 
Licinius Mercianus, the Roman governor of Lycia, gave @ feast 
in this grotto to eighteen guests. Pliny mentions another Plane- 
tree which the Emperor Caligula found in the neighbourhood of 
Velitria, the branches of which were so disposed as to form ‘7 
grotto of natural verdure, in which the Emperor dined ; 
fifteen persons. Although the Emperor occupied a part of the 
tree alone, the guests were all quite at their ease, and the ain 
were able to perform their offices with perfect convenience. ~ 
AtCaphyas, in Arcadia, eight hundred years after the Trojan War, 4 
an old Plane-tree was shown bearing the name of Menelaus a 
on its bark. It was then said that this prince planted it himself be- : 
fore his departure for the seat of war. It is also related of the chief 
of men, Agamemnon, that he planted a Plane-tree at Delphos, we 
was seen many centuries after the death of the hero. These Asser : 
tions are probably fabulous; but what makes recitals of this kind 
somewhat credible, is the fact that, at the present time, ae © 
trees of an age and dimensions quite extraordinary still exist 0 the . 
East. De Candolle, in his “Physiologie Végétale,” records 1° 
statement of a modern traveller in the East, to the effect, that B 2 
the valley of Bussekdere, three leagues from Constantinople, ee 
exists a Plane-tree 100 feet in height, the trunk of which was ee 
feet in circumference. The trunk presented an excavation 80 
_in cireumference. Its shadow extended over 500 squat’ f : 
Plate X. is a representation of the Plane-tree of Bujukdere, ae 
celebrated tree all over the East, although the documents W: 
would determine its exact age are wanting. 
