48 SYLVAN WINTER. 



peculiarity of the ramification are very striking. 

 ' Its conic form,' Gilpin says, ' is peculiar.' 

 'Among evergreens,' lie' adds, 'we find the 

 same character in the Cypress, and both trees in 

 many situations have a good effect. The Cypress 

 often, among the ruins of ancient Rome, breaks 

 the regularity of a wall or a pediment by its conic 

 form ; and the Poplar on the banks of the Po, no 

 doubt has the same effect among its deciduous 

 brethren, by forming the apex of a clump ; though 

 I have been told that, in its age, it loses its 

 shape in some degree and spreads more into a 

 head.' Of course in Winter the figure of this 

 handsome tree is less prominent, and makes a less 

 noticeable figure as seen outlined against the sky, 

 than when clothed in its heavy garb of leaves ; 

 but the wintry aspect, though more light and 

 elegant, is not less interesting and remarkable. 



Very nearly related to the Lombardy Poplar, 

 the Black Italian Poplar (page 144) is noticeable 

 from it by its wide-spreading branches. Similar 

 in many of its characters to the tree just described, 

 it differs in the essential one, that its branches 

 grow more sparsely, are stouter in proportion to 



