THE ROMANCE OF OUR TREES 



The story of the Babylon Willow (Salix baby- 

 lonica) is older. Its distribution has been in the 

 reverse order and its early history is shrouded in 

 mystery. It is a Chinese tree and it is doubtful if 

 it was ever known by the waters of Babylon for 

 which it is named and endeared to the minds of most 

 people. Truth often shatters fond delusions and 

 robs us of many pretty myths and stories to which we 

 fain would cling. So much has the name "Willow of 

 Babylon" captivated the popular mind that Weeping 

 Willows generally are considered to be this tree. 

 In spite of the shock to popular belief truth necessi- 

 tates the record that the trees in the Psalmist's 

 wail (Psalms CXXXVI I, verse 1,2. " By the rivers of 

 Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we 

 remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the wil- 

 lows in the midst thereof.") are not Willows at all but 

 a Poplar (Populus euphratica) ! The Willow of Baby- 

 lon is native of China where it is common on alluvial 

 areas, especially those of the Lower Yangtsze. It 

 has been much planted and it is often difficult to tell 

 the wild from the cultivated trees. Near Shanghai 

 it is abundant but it does not grow so far north as 

 Peking where the winters are too cold for it. In the 

 neighbourhood of Ichang in central China it is com- 

 mon, but the largest trees I have seen are in the 

 western province of Szech'uan, near the Chino- 

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