Handbook of Trkes of tiik Noktiikkx Stat 



AM) Canada. 105 



The Balsam Poplar sometimes attains in the 

 forest a height of 100 ft. ami a trunk diameter 

 of or tJ ft. \\ hen isolated from other trees 

 it develops a rather narrow irregular pyra- 

 midal open top of few large branches, and its 

 parti-eolored leaves, as their dark green upper 

 surfaces and light under surfaces show suc- 

 cessively as moved by the wind, make it a 

 handsome object. It is distinctly a northern 

 tree, tliriving and attaining its largest size 

 along tlie banks of the streams which are tribu- 

 tary to the ^lackenzie River in a climate too 

 severe for the existence of most other trees. 

 In those cold regions this is the largest and 

 most characteristic tree. It is confined mainly 

 to alluvial bottom-lands and borders of 

 swamps, and in our northern states, where it 

 finds its southernmost limit of distribution, 

 is by no means as large a tree as it is to the 

 northward. 



Its wood is soft and light, a cubic foot when 

 absolutely dry weighing 22.65 lbs., and in the 

 region of the Great Lakes and northern INIichi- 

 gan is used for paper pulp, and in the manu- 

 facture of boxes, pails, etc.i 



Lcavfs .3-6 in. lon,<;. ovate, roimded or broadly 

 ounoato at base with crenate-serrate .slishtly 

 thickened margin, acute or aciiiiilnate at apex, 

 darlv glabrous green above, much pnhr and con- 

 spicuously reticulated-veined and sdinctinics rusty 

 beneath : petioles long, terete : winter buds large, 

 taper-pointed and very resinous. Floircrs (in 

 .Vpril) ; Scales of aments scarlous, brown, lacine- 

 atc lobed : stamens 20-80 ; ovary ovoid, slightly, 

 2-lobed and with 2 large dilated stigmas. Fruit 

 (ripe in May) with ovoid oblong 2-valved short- 

 pediceled capsules ; capsules about % in. long. 



