THE EASTERN PLANE, 



77 



is 



no test, and 



exempt. It may be that the severe year- garden or shrubbery 

 ly pruning which nearly all Planes in hence some introduced trees are false- 

 France undergo favours the spread of ly reputed as of no timber value. The 



this fungus, not merely by checking na- 

 tural growth but by giving ready access 

 to the vital tissues through the wounds 

 so caused. On every ground 

 this cutting is bad, and with- 

 out some imperative reason 

 should never be done. We 

 need only compare the 

 natural beauty of the Plane 

 with the clipped trees on the 

 Thames Embankment and 

 elsewhere to see how bad a 

 system it is. Left alone its 

 form is perfect, and no trim- 

 ming can be other than an 

 injury. 



The Plane tree is com- 

 mon over the whole of the 

 south of Europe, and of late 

 years vast sums have been 

 spent by local authorities in 

 planting it along the road- 

 sides, its shade giving wel- 

 come relief from the sun's 

 glare in summer, while the 

 leaves fall in autumn as soon 

 as its warmth is needed. 

 There are few villages too 

 poor not to boast a j£ and 

 line of Plane trees, and in 

 many parts, as on the plains of Lom- 

 bardy and the Riviera, avenues of great 

 length and beauty are formed of them. 



The Plane, like other introduced 



wood of the Plane is grown by us in 

 such small quantities as not to allow 

 of its being fairly tried or marketed. 



EASTERN PLANE (CUT-LEAVED FORM), 



HIGHCLERE. 



In a very interesting note to Woods 

 a7id Forests by a "Timber Merchant," 

 our English-grown Plane is said to be 

 used by first-class coachbuilders and 

 forest trees, suffers from our way of pianoforte makers, no wood taking 

 growingitmore in plea- paint so well, or standing better for the 

 sure-grounds than as a j sides of waggonettes. In pianofortes it 

 tree of value for woods. The pleasure is used for bridges, its toughness and 



