PLÁTANUS. The Plane Tree.

Platanus occidentÀlis LinnÆus. Sycamore. Plate 71. The largest tree of the State; bark thin, smooth, on age separating into thin plates and exfoliating, base of the trunks of very old trees somewhat roughened or fissured, gray to grayish-green, splotched with white; twigs at first covered with a scurvy pubescence, becoming at maturity glabrous except a ring at the node about the leaf-scar, gray or light brown, and zigzag; leaves alternate, long-petioled, nearly orbicular in outline, the blades somewhat deltoid, blades large, variable in size and shape, average blades 9-17 cm. long, frequently much larger on vigorous shoots, generally with 3-5 main lobes, sometimes the lobes are indistinct and the leaves appear only irregularly toothed, margins toothed, rarely entire between the lobes, truncate or cordate at the base, acute or acuminate at the apex; one form has been noted with leaves obovate, scarcely lobed and with a wedge-shaped base; leaves covered on both sides at first with a dense tomentum, becoming at maturity glabrous above—rarely tardily pubescent, nearly glabrous beneath, except on the veins and in the axils, petioles remaining pubescent; flowers appear in May with the leaves in heads on long woolly peduncles; fruit a globose head of many seeds, 2-3.5 cm. in diameter, maturing late in the year; the seed are scattered by the wind during the winter months; wood heavy, hard, weak, close-grained, difficult to split and work, takes a high polish; when used as a container it does not communicate an objectional taste or odor to contents.

Distribution.—Maine, Ontario to Nebraska, south to the Gulf States and west to Texas. Found in all parts of Indiana, although there are no records for the extreme northwestern counties. It is a tree of a low ground habitat, and is found principally in low ground along streams, about lakes, and ponds. In such habitats it is a frequent tree in all parts, except in the "flats" of the southern counties. In some places it is a common to a very common tree, especially along the upper courses of White River.

Remarks.—In this State this species is always called the sycamore tree. It is the largest tree of the State, and the largest deciduous tree of the United States. Indiana has the distinction of having the largest living sycamore in the United States. It is located near Worthington, Indiana, and "in 1915, measured 43 feet and 3 inches in circumference at five feet above the ground." See frontispiece. The sycamore grew to great diameters in all parts of the State. It was commonly hollow, because it is believed the tree in early life is usually more or less injured by floating ice and debris which starts inner decay. Hollow sycamore logs were commonly used by the pioneers in which to smoke their meat, and sections of hollow logs about 12 dm. (4 feet) long were used to store grain in, and were known as "gums."

The value of sycamore lumber has been very much underestimated. It has many uses such as butcher blocks, interior finish, furniture, piling, tobacco boxes, veneer berry boxes, handles, wooden ware, etc. Indiana has led in the production of sycamore lumber for years.

The sycamore is well adapted for shade, ornamental and forestry purposes. It transplants easily, grows rapidly, stands pruning well and is comparatively free from injurious insects. It grows straight, tall and usually with a rather narrow crown. It prefers a moist soil, but adapts itself to dry situations. For planting overflow lands, or on the banks of streams it is one of the best species we have. It is also one of the best species for roadside tree planting, because it is deep rooted, grows tall, and does not produce a dense shade.