The Poplars 



65 



The bark is brown or grey, and roughened by dark excrescences. It is rougher 

 than that of the aspen. 



The twigs are warty and much coarser than those of the aspen. The buds 

 are large and sealed with a fragrant, sticky gum. 



The leaves are 3 to 5 in. long and more oval or egg-shaped than those of either 

 of the aspens. The margin is finely toothed and the base rounded. The leaf- 

 stem is round in cross-section, or only the lower half is flattened. 



In summer it is easily distinguished from the other poplars of Eastern Canada 

 by its leaves. No other poplar has leaves of such an oval outline. The teeth on the 

 margin are also much finer than those of either of the aspens. 



It grows on rich, moist sites such as banks of rivers, bottom lands, etc., and is 

 found in small groups or mixed with willows, alders, and spruce. 



When sawn into lumber balsam poplar is usually classed as cottonwood. Its 



^^^'^^^~ ^z- BALSAM POPLAR 



/T 6>Cf/so/rt//era 



wood is tougher than that of aspen, but is useless as firewood. Otherwise its 

 uses are similar to those of aspen. 



The balm of Gilead (Populus candicans) is considered by many a variety of 

 the balsam poplar. It can be distinguished from the latter tree by the more 

 heart-shaped base of its leaves. 



POPULUS ACUMINATA, Ryd. LANCELEAF COTTONWOOD 



The lanceleaf cottonwood is a medium-sized tree 35 to 40 ft. high and 1 to IJ^ 

 ft. in diameter, with a rounded or pyramidal crown formed by stout, spreading 

 branches. 



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