Populus 1 8 1 9 



densely covered with meadowsweet and rushes, and where water often stands on the 

 surface in winter, poplars of the ordinary red-petioled kind ten years after planting 

 are about 35 feet high, whilst one with green petioles, distinguished by its greyer 

 bark and more spreading habit, is 44 ft. by 2 ft. 1 in. 



Forbes ' agrees with me that about fifty years is the most profitable age at 

 which to cut this tree ; but he recommends that it should be planted at 6 ft. apart 

 unmixed with other trees, in which I disagree with him first, because at least 

 three-quarters of the trees planted would be worthless as thinnings, and, secondly, 

 because if it is desired to make a plantation close enough to suppress side branches 

 the common alder seems to me the most suitable tree. I should not plant poplars 

 nearer than 15 or 20 feet apart, and would fill up the intervals with alder, which could 

 be cut out for clog soles at about thirty years, when it had attained 6 to 8 in. diameter, 

 leaving the poplars to stand at the rate of about 50 to the acre. Assuming that 

 the alder would pay the rent of the land, which it ought to do, 50 poplars, averaging 

 80 ft. at 2 a-piece, would give a very handsome return for the interest of the 

 outlay on planting and pruning them. 



In France, where the cultivation of poplars is well understood, the general 

 practice is to plant them in lines at about 20 ft. apart along the sides of ditches, 

 and leave the intervening spaces in pasture ; and in this way the trees attain a 

 profitable size much quicker than if planted as closely as advised by Forbes. 



As the tree can be very quickly and easily struck from cuttings, the only 

 question to consider is whether they shall be planted without roots where they are 

 intended to grow, as is done with willows, or kept in a nursery till larger. I have 

 tried both methods, and think that the latter is best, as the tree gets a start sooner, 

 and is not so liable to be choked by the rank vegetation which is always found in 

 places suitable to it. The best way to procure strong cuttings is to take one- 

 or two-year shoots from stools ; side branches may be used, but they are not so 

 erect in habit, and require more pruning. These cuttings are best from 4 to 6 ft. 

 long, put in during early spring, and in good soil will make strong plants in one 

 season. If left longer than a year they do not transplant so well. After the tree has 

 begun to grow freely, it will make 3 to 5 ft. of annual growth ; and it is important to 

 prune the side branches before they become too thick. This pruning should be 

 carried on with a pruning chisel up to 30 or 40 ft. high, in order to avoid knots and 

 make clean timber, and is best done in summer. 



In cold and shady situations the branches are apt to die off, and a canker 

 produced by Didymosphceria populina sometimes affects the trees. 2 



In a brochure which is published by M. Marion, 3 he recommends planting 

 either large cuttings, put into the ground at a depth of 1 to 2 ft., or rooted plants in 

 pits ; and in both cases advises that the grass shall not be allowed to grow over the 

 roots till the trees are well established. He recommends a width of 6 to 10 yards 

 for avenues, or 4 yards apart in lines, and that the trees shall never be mixed with 

 or crowded by other trees, as they must have plenty of room to grow well 150 to 



1 English Estate Forestry, 82 (1904). 2 Cf. Hartig, Diseases of Trees, Eng. Trans., 104 (1894). 



3 Petit Manuel du Proprietaire Sylviculteur (Libraire Horticole, Paris (1909)). 



