the Plane-tree; a genus of the polyandria order, belonging to the monoeia class of plants.

Species. 1. The orientalis, oriental or eastern plane-tree, 'rifes with a very straight smooth branching stem, to a great height. It has palmated leaves, five or eight inches long and as much broad, divided into five large segments, having the side ones cut into two smaller, green above, and pale underneath; and long pendulous pedunculi, each sustaining several round heads of clove-sitting very small flowers; succeeded by numerous downy seeds, collected into round, rough, hard balls. It is a native of Asia and many parts of the east, and grows in great plenty in the Levant. 2. The occidentalis, occidental, or western plane-tree, 'rifes with a straight smooth stem, to a great height, branching widely around; it has lobated leaves, seven or eight inches long, and from nine or ten to twelve or fourteen broad, divided into three large lobes; and very small flowers, collected into round heads, succeeded by round, rough, balls of seed. It is a native of Virginia, and other parts of North America; where it attains an enormous size, and is remarkable for having its stem all of an equal girt for a considerable length: we have an account of some trees being eight or nine yards in circumference, and which when felled afforded 20 loads of wood. The varieties of these two species, are the Spanish or middle plane-tree, having remarkably large leaves of three or five narrower segments; and the maple-leaved plane-tree, having smallest leaves, somewhat lobated into five segments, resembling the mapple-tree leaf.

All these elegant trees are of hardy temperature, so as to prosper here in any common soil, and exposure in our open plantations, &c. and are some of the most desirable trees of the deciduous tribe. They were in singular esteem among the ancients of the east, for their extraordinary beauty, and the delightful shade they afforded by their noble foliage. The leaves commonly expand in May, and fall off early in autumn; and the flowers appear in spring, a little before the leaves, being succeeded by seeds, which in fine seasons frequently ripen here in September. These fine trees have singular merit for all ornamental plantations. Their straight growth, regular branching heads, and the lofty stature they attain, together with the extraordinary breadth of their luxuriant leaves, render them extremely desirable furniture to adorn avenues, lawns, parks, and woods; some disposed in ranges, some as single standards, others in clumps, some in groves, &c. They are most excellent for shade; for it is observable, that no tree is better calculated to defend us from the heat in summer, by its noble spreading foliage, and to admit the sun's rays more freely in winter, on account of the distance of its branches, which is always in proportion to the size of the leaves. They may also be employed in the collection of forest-trees, in woods, to grow up to timber, in which they will also prove advantageous in time. In short, these noble trees claim the esteem of every one concerned in plantations of every kind; but more particularly in extensive works, where they may be so variously disposed as to have a charming effect.

The propagation of these trees is by seed, layers, and cuttings. The seeds frequently ripen in these parts, and are also procured from other countries, and may be obtained of the nurserymen or seedmen. The best season for sowing them is autumn, if they can. can be then possibly procured. Choose a somewhat shady moist soil; and having dug the ground, and raked it fine, form it into four-feet wide beds, and either scatter the seeds evenly on the surface and rake them in, or previously with the back of a rake turn the earth off the surface near half an inch deep into the alleys; then sow the seed, and directly, with the rake turned the proper way, draw the earth evenly over the seeds, and trim the surface smooth; many of the plants will rise in spring, and probably may not till the spring following. When they are one or two years old, plant them out in nursery-rows, two or three feet asunder, and about half that distance in the lines; here to remain till of a proper size for final transplantation. The method of propagation by layers is very commonly practised in the nurseries, in default of seed, and by which they most readily grow; for which purpose, some stout plants for stools must be planted, which in a year after must be headed down near the bottom, that they may throw out many shoots near the ground, convenient for laying; which, in the autumn after they are produced, lay by for slit-laying; and by autumn after, they will be well rooted, and form plants two or three feet high, so may be separated, and planted in nursery-rows, like the seedlings.

—All the sorts will take tolerably by cutting off the strong young shoots; but the platanus occidentalis more freely than the oriental kind. Autumn is the best season: as soon as the leaf falls, choose strong young shoots, and plant them in a moist soil; many of them will grow, and make tolerable plants by next autumn. It should be remarked, that in order to continue the distinction of the varieties more effectually, they should be propagated either by layers or cuttings: for when raised from seed, those of the respective species generally vary.