RETORT ON THE MANAGEMENT AND VALUE OF POPLAR. 123 



break-blocks. Like the variety mentioned immediately before, 

 it is only regarded as a secondary timber tree in Scotland. 



Eighth, The Ontario Poplar (Populus candicans) is another 

 species from America, said to grow wild on the borders of Lake 

 Ontario. It is of all the poplars first in flower and then in leaf, 

 the latter being the largest of any species of poplar, and measuring 

 when young often 8 inches in length. Its buds are gummy, and 

 along with the foliage produce a strong balsamic smell. Its 

 wood is soft and brittle, and only useful for a few industrial pur- 

 poses. Like the other species it is propagated in various ways, 

 chiefly from cuttings. It is too tender for general planting in 

 Scotland, the soil being too poor to sustain it properly. 



Ninth, The Balsam Poplar (Popidits balsamifera) is a native of 

 North America, introduced into Britain in 1700. It is a beautiful 

 odoriferous tree, and, next to the Ontario, comes earliest into leaf, 

 the soft sweetness of which delights the eye in early spring. As 

 timber it is little valued, being employed only for break-blocks 

 and staves. It is seldom planted with a view to profit. 



Tenth, The Angular or Carolina Poplar (Populus angidata) was 

 introduced from North America in 1738, where it is said to attain 

 the height of 150 feet. A rich dry soil and sheltered situation 

 are requisite to insure its growth in this country. Much dead 

 wood is found on it, indicating decay in the root. Though its 

 timber is only of a secondary class, it deserves to be planted for 

 variety and beauty. The preceding list of poplars, embracing 

 ten varieties, includes those of most importance to the cultivator, 

 whether regarded as timber trees or trees of ornament. We 

 offer now a few remarks as to their culture and general manage- 

 ment. 



Sufficient room, yet not too much, is one of the chief require- 

 ments of the culture of poplar. Care must be taken to relieve 

 the tree of a superfluity of branches and contending shoots, by 

 timeously pinching them off during early summer, which answers 

 all the requirements of pruning without inflicting the evils 

 resulting therefrom. It being rather the exception than the rule 

 for foresters to propagate their own plants wholly, purchasing 

 them from nurserymen when two or three years old, the writer 

 will state his experience in this matter. As the ground best 

 adapted to grow poplar is such as produces rough grasses and 

 coarse herbage, which is, however, apt to choke the youthful 

 plant, the best method in such a case is to plant trees of such a 

 size as to be at once above the herbage, and in order to do this at 

 as moderate a cost as possible, the writer would place the plants 

 purchased into rows, either in a home nursery, or the corner of a 

 field, whence they could be removed to their permanent situation 

 at the least expense. The ground selected as a temporary nursery 

 for only one year requires little preparation beyond digging and 



