184 IDecifeuous Urees. 



Most common is the white willow (S. alba), with gray- 

 ish branches and lanceolate leaves covered with white silky 

 hair. The golden willow (S. vitellina) is only a variety 

 of the white willow with golden yellow branches. Salix 

 fragilis has beautiful shining leaves. All these grow into 

 large-sized trees. The osier willow (S. viminalis) is a 

 smaller but very handsome species. The laurel-leaved 

 willow (S. pentandrd) is a small but beautiful tree with 

 ovate-lanceolate leaves. The most popular and useful of all 

 is the weeping willow (S. Babylonica), a familiar tree on 

 the shores of rivers and ponds. 



Poplar, Populus, are rapid-growing trees useful for screen 

 planting and for planting where it is necessary to cover 

 bare spaces quickly. Most common are the Canada pop- 

 lar (P. monolifera), with fine cordate leaves and a regular 

 habit ; the silver poplar (P. alba), with whitish silvery 

 foliage ; the balsam poplar (P. lalsamea), with fragrant 

 leaves in spring, and the Lombardy poplar (P. dilatata), 

 with fastigiate branches and a columnar habit. There is a 

 golden-leaved variety of the Canada poplar which is a very 

 fine ornamental tree. All are beautiful when young, but 

 some are undesirable because of their long running roots ; 

 the balsam poplar and the white poplar in particular. 



Aspen, Populus tremula. This is a small tree with 

 rounded crown and grayish silvery bark, of no ornamental 

 value. It grows in poor soil almost anywhere. The 

 American aspen (P. tremuloides) is a more ornamental tree, 

 of a regular habit. 



