NOTES ON FOREST TREES. 181 



Saltx nigra (Black Willow) grows very abundantly on 

 the borders of Saranac river near Schuyler Falls. There 

 is a continuous line of these trees for several miles in 

 some places completely overarching the river and making 

 a perfect shade. Some of the largest of these trees were 

 measured — one was 10 feet in circumference, several 

 were over 9 feet and 60 to 70 feet in height. Nearly all 

 leaned over the water. These trees were decayed in the 

 centre; indeed, there were so many either crooked or de- 

 cayed that it seemed doubtful if a perfect specimen could 

 be found. Forty trees were cut into and finally one was 

 found 18 inches in diameter. One curious fact concerning 

 these trees, is that there were no dead limbs or knot-holes for 

 water to enter, yet they were wet and soggy the whole 

 length of the trunk inside of the sap wood. 



Salix discolor ( Glaucous Willow) is common in all low 

 grounds. In Ellenburgh it grows to quite a tree in some 

 situations. One tree in a quaking bog, on the border of 

 Moon Lake, was 40 inches in circumference ; there was 

 so much risk incurred in walking in this bo£j that it was 

 impossible to get this specimen. One was obtained, how- 

 ever, which was 12 inches in diameter and had 90 circles 

 of growth. 



Populus balsamiFera (Balsam Poplar) is a large timber 

 tree in Ellenburgh ; it grows in all parts of Clinton county, 

 but only in Ellenburgh to this size. Its foliage varies 

 very much in different localities : in deep forests the leaves 

 are ovate, taper-pointed, serrate smooth on both sides ; 

 on open, rocky hill-sides the leaves are broader and some- 

 what heart-shaped ; and in young growths among maples, 

 perhaps thirty years old, specimens were found whose 

 leaves were exactly like forms of P. balsamifera and also 

 the var. Candicans besides many other variations, in- 

 cluding one, the leaves of which were ovate, obtuse, en- 



13* 



