SOME CHEMICAL-CONSTITUENTS OF 10-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN SYCAMORE AND BLACKLOCUST GROWN IN ILLINOIS

Research was initiated to determine the effects of site (upland, botto mland) and tree origin (seedling, coppice) on the chemical composition of wood of two, ten-year-old hardwood species grown in Illinois. Ten- year-old black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.) were evaluated for alcohol-benzene extracti ves, hot-water extractives, one-percent NaOH extractives, Klason ligni n, holocellulose, and alpha-cellulose. Black locust had statistically higher alcohol-benzene extractives, hot-water extractives, and alpha-c ellulose content than sycamore. A relationship between wood density an d alpha-cellulose exists. Black locust yielded a higher mean Klason li gnin value, and sycamore yielded a higher mean one-percent sodium hydr oxide value but the difference was not significant at the alpha = 0.05 level. The effects of site and origin were inconsistent for the diffe rent chemical properties. Black locust appears to be a favorable speci es for a variety of chemical constituents and can be successfully grow n under different silvicultural methods.