THE TUPLARS. 



129 



figure, and is found in the woods and beside the 

 streams in the Northern States. Its leaf is thick, firm, 

 and borne erect on the twigs ; and the large, brown- 

 yellow leaf buds are covered in spring with 

 a fragrant resinous coating. I have< 

 drawn for comparison the leaves of 

 the three varieties which 

 are var. intermedia, var. 

 viminalis {P. laurifolia, 

 Sarg.), and var. latifolia. 



Balm of Gilead. Balm of 

 Popuius Gilead may 



bahamifera, , . , 



w.candicans. be recognized 



Populuz candicans. \yy j^S fragrant 



resinous leaf buds; these are 

 especially odorous in spring. 



It is purely a matter of taste ' Popuius balsamifera. 



if one considers the buds fragrant ; but de gus- 

 tibus non est disputandwm. In my own opinion, 

 the smell is unpleasantly suggestive of the " great 

 unclean," or rather the mildly unclean, who use per- 

 fumery, resulting in a mixture which can not de- 

 ceive ! Guessing at an analysis of the perfume in a 

 leaf bud, I should define it thus : equal parts of sandal- 

 wood, patchouli, and barber shop to one part of es- 

 sence of boiled onions. The bit of balm of Gilead I 

 had in my hands last September smelled just that way. 



