The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-04-12

nave me pleasure of stepping to their villas and
refresh 'helr piatans, which they would often ir-
rlgate with wine instead of water According TO
tha: ilustrious Romas naturalist. Pliny, th. Plane
Tree was hrst brought over the lunian See, into
the Island Of Diomedes for a monument to That
hero Thence 1t passed into Sicily aud soon after
INTO Italy. He describes one which grew by the
side ola great road, near cool fountain in Iycs.
which was so large that its top resembled A
small forrest and tho trunk being hollow formed
grotto elghty-o feet in circumference, In which
Lcinlus, the Roman governor Of that province
passed tie night with eighteen persons Of his suit
/ he describes another which grew in Velotrl Of
such vast size, aud Its main bIanches were 80 dis.
/ posed as to form kind OF olbanqueting room where
the Emperor Caligula gave an entertainment
which ha called the Feast Of the Nest, to fifteen
persons, aud. although he occupied large portion
! VI THIS shaded retreat there vas ample room for
his guests and their attendants. EVELYN gives
to Lord Bacon the credit Of introducing the Plane
ree INTO England. he having first planted them
| dt Nerulam Dr.. Hunter, in the notes 10 his last
edition Of Eveiyn's sylvia observes that "at Rib
stone, the seat Of Sir Henry Goodrich, there is
now growing beautiful Platanus, the prucipsl
Hmb OF which extends forty.six feet from the ball
ana wha: Is still more remarkable, this tree groes
elose TO the original apple tree knownas the Rib
th'ohe plppln, from whose stalk has sprurg nll-
Inerons progeny. He describes aro her Al Shad-
well Lodge in the county Of Norfolk, tie seat Of
,John Buxton, Esq, remarkable for its rapid
growth. When planted in April l74i. it was
eisht feet high, and when measured in April l77s
II was 60 feet Q inches high and feet Q inches
IN circumference one foot from the ground. An.
other account OF il SAYS that in April 1924 il was
lO6 feet high and SO feet 6 inches in circumfer.
tnce one foot from tho ground Mirhaux, in his
Nor'h American sylvia, observes that, tie sYs is
which grows IN the western world is not less re.
Inarkable for its amplitude and for its magnificent
appearance than the Plane of Asia, whose males.
/ nc form and extraordinary size were 20 much &c.
LIBERATED ty the ancicnts 3nd that it is ccueraIlv
thought, IN Europe, to possess a richer foliage and
TO afford darker shade than the Asatic Plane
He describes ono measured by hi- father, on an
island in the Ohio river fifteen miles aboyc the
Mu.klnsum, which was 40 feet and inches in
circumference 8 feet from tie ground In 1902
ne measured another on the Ohio SO miles from
Marietta which was ~ feet in circumference 5
feet from the ground Z carUe was made for
navigating the Wabash, from single Plane OF
Button wood, as 1t .s called in the western states
which was 6S feet long and carried O. 800 lbs.
The indifference Of the citizens Of thi. state to
the cni,i'ntlon Of forest trees is lamentable ard
lnexrusHbIe, and when look over our vast prai.
rles feel sorry TO see no more attention paid 10
this subject
fear my enthusiasm on tits iuteraatin, sab.
lect has induced me to extend This coununica.
non beyond proper bounds, but hoping YOU will
ies II similar interest in .Ae subject. remain
yours truly. BLANCHARD
Broohaell, April 10, 1851.