BLACK POPLAR. 



BLACK POPLAR {Popidiis //zV;-^).— Courage. 



The Black Poplar was consecrated to Hercules because he 

 slew Cacus who stole part of the cattle which he brought into 

 Italy. This feat the hero accomplished in a cave by Mount 

 Aventine, where the Poplar was abundant. Virgil records 

 this, speaking of Hercules under his name Alcides : — 



" Come, then, with us to great Alcides pray. 

 And crown your heads, and solemnize the day. 

 Invoke our common god with hymns divine. 

 And from the goblet pour the generous wine, 

 He said; and with the Poplar's sacred boughs, 

 Like great Alcides, binds his hoary brows." 



Hercules performed wondrous exploits and possessed extra- 

 ordinary courage. It is alleged that in his courageous descent 

 into the lower world his head was covered with poplar, and 

 that the outsides of the leaves were blackened by the fumes 

 of the atmostphere. This tree may well then be made the 

 emblem of his most prominent quality. The Black Poplar is 

 a valuable tree ; grows rapidly ; delights in moist localities ; 

 its light bark supplies fishermen with floats ; its timber suits 

 the turner and the patten-maker, and supplies capital flooring- 

 boards ; it does not readily catch fire, and, in short, it is a 

 most serviceable tree for a variety of purposes. Even thus 

 courage is of great use, not only in the battle field of armies, 

 but in the battle of life, where ever-varying circumstances 

 are continually demanding the exercise of this inestimable 

 quality. 



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