WILLOW POPLAE. 259 



Babylon. It is the species alluded to in the Psalm: "As 

 for our harps, we hanged them upon the trees that are 

 therein." It was introduced into England by the poet Pope, 

 who planted one of the twigs in which a quantity of Figs had 

 been packed, and forthwith it took root. 



The wood of the Willow family makes the best charcoal, and 

 is therefore used in gunpowder. An extract from the bark is 

 called salicine, and rivals quinine as a tonic. Martin Tupper 

 speaks of this : " Not long to charm away disease has the 

 "Willow yielded its bark." The wood is useful for handles for 

 light implements, as hay-rakes, &c. Hoops for barrels are 

 made by splitting Willow-rods in two equal parts, and crayons 

 are made of the charcoal. The Willow is the emblem of 

 deserted love. Spencer speaks of it as 



" The Willow, worn by forlorn paramour." 

 The Poplar family numbers four British species. 

 The White Poplar (Populus alba, Plate XV., fig. 3), has 

 leaves both lobed and toothed. In youth they are white on 

 both sides, but the upper surface becomes full green. It is an 

 elegant tree, with horizontal down-curving branches, and large 

 catkins, the crimson stamens of which are very conspicuous. 

 Like the Willows, these trees have the male and female catkins 

 on different plants. I believe this is the tree into which the 

 weeping sisters of Phaeton were transformed. I will repeat 

 the passage ; but beware of shedding tears over the recital, 

 lest you also should turn into Poplar trees. 



" Four times revolving:, the full moon returned, 

 So long the mother and the daughters mourned ; 

 When now the eldest, Phaethusa, strove 

 To rest her weary limb?, but could not move ; 

 Lampetia would have helped her, but she found 

 Herself withheld, and rooted to the ground ; 

 A third in wild affliction, as she grieves, 

 Would rend her hair, but fills her hands with leaves; 

 One sees her thighs tran-formed ; another views 

 Her arms shot out, and branching into boughs." 



Both this tree and the Black Poplar grow about Hawkhurst. 



