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The ancients greatly valued this tree. The ones planted near the academy at Athens 

 became famous for their size and beauty. 



The wood of the plane tree has some resemblance to that of the beech tree. It's 

 streaked with networks of multiple small veins. It's used by lathe-workers and cabinet- 

 makers. Belon [Translator's note: probably Pierre Belon, 1517-1564, French naturalist] 

 says that the inhabitants of Mount Athos hollow out the trunks of large plane trees to 

 make dugout craft which are inexpensive and in which they cruise on rivers and on the 

 sea. 



CULTIVATION. The tree is propagated by cuttings and by layering. The cuttings, 

 when placed in gentle, nourishing, shaded soil form trees that are ready to be permanently 

 planted. The plane tree is quite hardy; it thrives well in almost all kinds of soil. 



KEY TO PLATE. 

 Oriental plane tree. 1. Fruiting branch. 2. Fruit, transverse section. 



