CAROLINA POPLAR (Cottonwood) 



{Populus deltoides Marsh.) 



THE Cottonwood, or Carolina poplar, is scattered 

 v\adely but nowhere occurs in great abundance; 

 it does not grow naturally in the mountains. The 

 tree is easily propagated by cuttings and grows 

 rapidly, hence it has been widely planted to get 

 shade quickly. For this purpose, however, the tree is 

 unsatisfactory, because it begins to shed the leaves 



CAROLINA POPLAR 



Leaf, one-half natural size. Twig, one-third natural size. 



by midsummer, the "cotton" from the female, or 

 seed-bearing, tree is often a nuisance, the soft wood 

 is easily broken by winds, and the rank growth of the 

 roots often results in stopping drain pipes and 

 cracking and lifting sidewalks. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, broadly ovate 

 or triangular, pointed, square at the base, and 

 coarsely toothed no the edges, 3 to 5 inches across 

 each way, covered with soft white hairs on the under 

 side, supported by flattened slender stems, 2 to ;> 

 inches long. The winter buds are covered with 

 chestnut-brown, resinous scales. The flowers are in 

 catkins of two kinds, male and female, and appear 

 before the leaves. The fruit containing the seed has 

 a cluster of white silky hairs, which carries it for 

 long distances. 



The wood is soft, light-weight, warps easily upon 

 drying, but is used for many purposes, sometimes as 

 a substitute for yellow poplar and linden. It makes 

 the highest grade of gloss magazine paper for the 

 printing of half-tone illustrations. 



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