The Cultivated Poplars. 227 



generally smaller and much less deeply toothed, shorter in propor- 

 tion to their width and often with a tapering or rounded base. 

 The tree usually has a pyramidal habit of growth and a dark cast 

 to the foliage. The leaf-stalk is flattened, so that the foliage 

 moves freely in the wind. It is a less lustrous tree than the Cot- 

 tonwood and grows more slowly. Specimens were found escaped 

 along the Hudson by Michaux, who thought it an American 

 species and published it early in the century as Populus Hudsonica. 

 Pursh in 18 1 4 published it again as the " birch-leaved poplar, " 

 Popuhis betulifolia , from trees found upon I^ake Ontario. Although 

 is was found half wild in New York about a century ago, it does 

 not seem to have increased itself in America, for it is rarely seen, 

 even in cultivated ground. The tree known in the West as Pop- 

 ulus betulifolia is only a robust form of the European P. nigra. 



The black poplar runs into many perplexing forms. The best 

 which I know is var. elegans (^Populus elegans of nurserymen, 

 f, fig. i). It is a tree of pronounced strict or pyramidal habit, 

 but considerably broader than the Lombardy. The foliage is 

 small and light colored and very versatile in a breeze, with a 

 handsome reddish tint to the leaf-stalks and young shoots. It is 

 worth growing in every well kept place, especially if placed 

 against a planting of heavier foliage. Populus canescens of some 

 American nurserymen is very like this, although it has less color 

 and brightness. 



P. nigra, var. Italica (DuRoi, Harbkesche Baumz. ii. 141 

 (1772). Var. pyramidalis, Spach, Ann. Sci. Nat. 2ndser. xv. 31 

 (1841). P. Italica, Moench, Verzeichness Weissenstein, 79 (1785). 

 P. dilatata, Alton, Hort. Kew. iii. 406 (1789). P.fastigiata, Desf, 

 Hist. Arb. ii. 265 (1809). P. pyramidalis, Rozier, Diet. d'Agric. 

 vii. 619. P. pyramidata, P. Pannonica, P. /^(5'/^;zz'm of horticul- 

 turists). Lombardy or Italian Poplar. This tree is too 

 familiar to need description. It differs from the typical black 

 poplar {P. nigra) in its tall narrow growth, glabrous young 

 shoots, a confirmed habit of suckering from the root and generally 

 a more tapering base to the leaves. It is one of the characteristic 

 trees of parts of Italy, and it is from one of the Italian provinces, 

 lyOmbardy, that its common name is derived. The tree is prob- 

 ably native in Asia, however. 



