COTTON WOOD (Populus deltoidea, Marsh). 60 to 100 feet. 

 A tall, stately tree, with wide, irregular, open head, of massive 

 limbs, that droop at extremities in many angular twigs, set in 

 winter with large, flat, wax-sealed buds. Bark thick, ashy 

 gray, deeply furrowed into rounded, scaly ridges. Wood dark 

 brown, weak, compact, light weight, with thick, white sap- 

 wood; used for packing cases, fuel, and pulp. Leaves tri- 

 angular or heart-shaped, thick blade, with wavy, coarsely saw- 

 toothed margin, pale lining, on slender, flattened petiole. 

 Flowers in March, in pendent catkins of two sorts on same 

 tree; stamina te many, closely set with flowers, red; pistillate 

 green, few on tree, catkins few-flowered. Fruits in May, in 

 oval, 2-valved capsules, filled with minute seeds embedded in 

 fine cotton; seed clusters 10 to 12 inches long. Dist.: Moist 

 ground, Canada to Gulf of Mexico; west to Colorado and 

 New Mexico. Much planted for shade and windbreaks on 

 prairie. 



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