The Poplars. 123 



mention may be made of two introduced species which were at 

 one time in great favour. 



A row of Lombard}' poplars {Populus dilatata) was a fre- 

 quent feature of the agricultural landscape of Ontario and the 

 Eastern States, and although it is practically useless for any 

 purpose, the stiff, military appearance of a row of such trees made 

 a striking and not unpleasing feature of the landscape. The 

 Lombardy poplar, as its name indicates, was introduced from 

 laly, through France, was strongly advocated by Joseph Jefferson, 

 and was soon distributed through the Eastern States and Canada. 

 One reason for the favour it found was that its tall spire-like form 

 was supposed to be a protection from lightning to the buildings 

 in the vicinity, although the belief in its usefulness for this pur- 

 pose has gone the way of the faith in the lightning rod. The 

 characteristic upward growtli of the branches gives this tree an 

 unfailingly individual appearance which makes it easily distin- 

 guishable. Thty never spread, and a row of these trees requires 

 only a narrow space. The leaf is rather broader than long, and 

 tapers toward both ends, the point being long and sharp. 



Another introduced tree is the White Poplar or abele. It 

 was frequently planted as an ornamental tree and its foliage, dark 

 green and shining on the upper surface and cottony underneath, 

 gave it a very attractive appearance. But its persistent and 

 troublesome habit of spreading by suckers, and the shower of 

 down which covered the ground when the seeds were falling, 

 has caused it to fall into disfavour The leaves are easily distin- 

 guished by their lobed shape, much resembling the leaves of the 

 maple. 



The present season has not so far been marked by any great 

 number of forest fires. In Cape Breton a fire occurred in the spring 

 which threatened to assume serious proportions. During June, 

 New Brunswick was visited with a tire that destroyed consieierable 

 timber, including some on Mr. Gibson's limits. It is reported that 

 extensive fires have occurred on the Yukon River andonPrinceof 

 Wales Island. A recent fire has also taken place in the 

 Temagami Reserve in Ontario, along the line of the Government 

 Railway. 



