40 LAWN AND SHADE TREES. 



and again, two or three trees of it, planted directly in the rear 

 of the dwelling, furnish a relief and background, adding greatly 

 to the appearance as a picture. When distant views are desired, 

 permission to plant one or two Lombardy poplars at or near the 

 point will serve to attract the eye, and in themselves add an air 

 of animation to the scene. It should never be planted as a 

 foreground tree, or near water, or in low grounds ; and as an 

 avenue tree, its stiff, regular form creates monotony that becomes 

 tiresome. 



The balsam poplar hdmwiifera and the balm of Gilead 

 poplar candicans very much resemble each other in their rapid 

 growth and spreading habit ; but their foliage is entirely dis- 

 tinct, the former having lanceolate oval leaves, while the latter 

 has very large, broad, heart-shaped foliage, and is much the 

 most desirable. Both are good for roadside trees or broad 

 avenues, and their use in filling up low grounds or bordering 

 streams of water is always satisfactory. As a background tree, 

 covering and shading barns or other farm-buildings, the balm 

 of Gilead is very effective. 



The silver poplar abele is a tree remarkable for its silvery 

 white underside of foliage, that at every rustle of the wind 

 gives it, when seen from a distance, very much the appearance 

 of a tree covered with white blossoms. 



It was once pretty generally planted in lawns and groups, but 

 the disposition which it has to sucker makes it extremely objec- 

 tionable for such positions. As a tree to make conspicuous some 

 particular high point, or, where possible, to form the foreground 

 of a group of dark firs, it is very desirable, and always effective. 

 All the poplars bear the smoke and dust of cities with great 

 indifference ; and where pavements will serve to keep down the 

 suckers, they are desirable, because of their extremely rapid 

 growth, exceeding perhaps that of any other tree. 



Pepperidge Nyssa. The sour gum or pepperidge tree is 



