226 BULLETIN NO. 62. 



little too striking- to allow of its being- planted extensively as art 

 ornamental. Nurserymen find it diffcult to propagate the Bol- 

 leana from cuttings, and, I believe, must bud or graft it on some 

 species, the cuttings of which form roots more readily. The 

 wood is white and quite heavy, weighing 38 pounds per cubic 

 foot. The lumber is of more value than that of most poplars. 

 Everywhere easily grown. 



Lombardy Poplar. (Populus nigra italica Du Roi.) This 

 poplar is too well known to need an extended description. A 

 glance at the cut on the front cover, or at the view shown in the 

 frontispiece, recalls its familiar aspect. The Lombardy is the 

 classic poplar of Rome and Athens. A half century ago it was- 

 a favorite everywhere for roadsides and avenges, and was ex- 

 tolled far beyond its merits, but has now fallen into neglect and 

 is to be found only on ancient homesteads in the older parts of 

 the country, or newly planted in the West, where, because of 

 its rapid growth, and the ease with which its numbers are mul- 

 tiplied, it is still grown. Its faults are many. A native of sunn}/ 

 Italy, it is not perfectly hardy in this climate, a fact well shown 

 on these grounds; it becomes old prematurely , and in its decline, 

 shows all the marks of old age; it suffers much from diseases; 

 its narrow top and fastigiate habit make it illy fitted for wind 

 break or shade; and its air of stiffness and formality is inap- 

 propriate about homes, while along roadsides and avenues it is 

 wearisomely monotonous. With all these imperfections, un- 

 shared by several other poplars, there is now but little reason 

 for planting the Lombardy, except for the sake of variety. 



In our experiment the average height of the trees of this- 

 species is 46 feet, with an average circumference of 40 inches. 

 The wood is soft, weak and light. It should be said, in passing, 

 that there need be no fear of annoyance from down or cotton 

 on the Lombardy poplar; for, as the male and female flowers 

 are seldom borne upon the same tree in the various species of 

 poplar; and, as the cottony substance comes from the seed-pods 

 from the female trees, no cotton is produced, as only the male 

 sex of the Lombardy has been introduced into this country. 



Silver Poplar. {Populus alba nivea (Wild.) Loud.) Known 

 also as Silver Maple, Snowy Poplar and White Poplar. The 

 Silver Poplar is an old time door-yard favorite, like the Lom- 

 bardy, now deservedly but little planted. At best it was never 



