The Plane. 



423. There are two distinct species of Planes : tlie 

 Oriental Plane and the Occidental Plane; one belongs to 

 Asia and the other to America. We have long had them 

 both in England ; sometimes very fine ; but always less 

 fine than they would have been, had they been raised from 

 the seed. The Oriental Plane is that which sheds its 

 hark annually or biennially. The bark peels off, by piece- 

 meal, and new bark comes in its stead. The Occidental 

 Plane does not change its bark in this manner. The trunk 

 of the former tree is of a grey colour; that of the latter is 

 rather of a greenish red. The leaves of the Occidental 

 Plane are larger than those of the Oriental Plane ; and 

 it grows to a greater height and in a more erect manner: 

 both are noble trees ; and if they were raised from seed, 

 instead of being raised from Layers, they would be full as 

 large and lofty as they are in their native countries. Mil- 

 ler relates that he has read of an Oriental Plane " which 

 " was growing at a villa of the Emperor Caligula; the 

 " trunk of which was so large, as, when hollowed, to make 



a room therein, to entertain ten or twelve persons at a 

 " repast, and for their servants to wait upon them." Miller 

 speaks of another of these Oriental Planes, which was of 

 so great a magnitude, that Xerxes made his army 

 " (which consisted of seventeen hundred thousand men) 

 " halt for some days to admire the beauty and tallness of 

 " this tree, which he called his mistress, his minion, his 

 " goddess; and, when he was obliged to part with it, he 

 " caused a figure of it to be stamped on a gold medal, 

 " which he continually wore about his neck.** Well would 

 it be for some people, for some poor oppressed and miserable 

 millions, if their Sovereigns delighted in mistresses, minions 

 and goddesses of a character so inoffensive, and so little; 

 calculated to produce taxation and beggary. This tall and 

 lovely goddess never meddled, I warrant her, in affairs. 



