WILLOW. 253 



ored midrib. Stipules often one-half inch broad, on vigorous 

 shoots, but scarcely appearing on the weaker branches. Catkins 

 appear with the leaves; stamens five to nine, distinct. A small 

 tree, occasionally seventy feet high. 



Distribution. Along lakes and streams. Quebec to the valley 

 of the Upper Saskatchewan river and Oregon, south to Ohio, 

 Missouri and Texas. Common in Minnesota. 



Propagation. By cuttings. Seedlings can generally be gath- 

 ered. 



Properties of Wood. Light, soft, weak, close grained, light 

 brown with thick whitish sapwood. Specific gravity, 0.4509; 

 weight of a cubic foot, 28.10 pounds. 



Uses. The Almondleaf Willow is not as desirable as several 

 other willows for cultivation, but in suitable locations makes a 

 very pretty tree. The wood is used for fuel. 



Salix alba. White Willow. 



Leaves lanceolate, taper pointed and tapering to the petiole, 

 serrate with thickened teeth, silky on both sides when young, 

 less so and pale or glaucous beneath when mature; stipules 

 deciduous. Flowers appear in May, with the leaves at the ends 

 of leafy lateral shoots of the season; stamens two. Fruit 

 matures in June. Tree sometimes attains a height of eighty feet, 

 with a trunk three or four feet in diameter, and ascending 

 branches. 



Distribution. Native of Northern Europe and Asia, but was 

 early brought to this country, and has become naturalized from 

 the valley of the St. Lawrence to the Potomac. There are many 

 varieties, and probably many hybrids of this with the American 

 and European species. The form of the White Willow com- 

 monly used for windbreaks on our prairies has been considered 

 by some as a hybrid between S. fragilis and S. alba, and by others 

 as but a variety of 5\ alba. The pistillate tree is most commonly 

 met with here. 



Propagation. It can be propagated easily from cuttings of 

 large or small size. In growing this tree for windbreaks some 

 planters prefer to use poles instead of common cuttings, laying 

 them in furrows in the prepared soil, where they are all covered 



