116 Canadian Forestry Journal 



growing in localities where snow lies deep, and avalanches occur. 

 The wood is soft and pliable, and the tree is therefore well-adapted 

 to withstand the rough treatment of alpine regions. The leaf 

 is a bright glossy green, covered with a somewhat aromatic 

 gummy substance, which extends to the stems. The wood is 

 worthless, and is only used for fires where no better is to be 

 obtained. 



Poplar or Cottonwood — Populus irichocarpa, — so called 

 on account of the cottony material which carries the seed, is a 

 common tree throughout the province, on low lying lands in the 

 vicinity of water. It attains to a large size in favourable local- 

 ities, three to four feet in diameter being common, and attaining 

 a great height in dense forests, along river l^anks, and on low. 

 islands. The wood is very little used, being white and soft, with- 

 out any great quality to recommend it. The principal use it has 

 been put to is for the manufacture of excelsior, for which purpose 

 it is well adapted. It has also been used for boxes, being very 

 light, but the objection to its use for this purpose, I am informed, 

 is that it turns dark after being sawed. Probably this difficulty 

 could be overcome by allowing the wood to season in the log, or 

 by other methods. It, also, I am informed, makes excellent 

 pulp for paper. The bark turned inside out is used by the 

 Kootenay Indians in the construction of their peculiarly shaped 

 canoes. The young buds exude a brown gummy substance, very 

 aromatic, and hence the tree is frequently known as Balm of 

 Gilead. The leaves, which are somewhat cordate, or heart-shaped 

 and pointed, attain a large size, on young trees, from 10 to 11 

 inches long, and 7 inches broad, bright green on the upper sides 

 and white on the under sides; these leaves, when shaken by the 

 wind, give a very curious appearance, and suggest a white- 

 flowered tree. On older trees the leaves are much smaller. 

 Growing in the open, this is a handsome tree, much more so than 

 the stiff-growing Lombardy Poplar, which is so frequently 

 planted in our grounds. 



Aspen-leaved Poplar — Populus tremuloides. — So called 

 on account of the tremulous effect of the leaves, which become 

 agitated with the least breath of air. I know of no pleasanter 

 sound than the rustle of these leaves, when, after crossing a hot, 

 treeless prairie, one finds oneself by the side of a stream shaded 

 with this beautiful tree. It probably is more wide in its dis- 

 tribution than any other tree, occurring as it does from the 

 Atlantic to the Pacific, and forming the principal source of 

 wood supply in Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, where the 

 groves, or forests, are designated "bluffs." In some parts of 

 our own province also, it constitutes the principal wood for fences 

 and fires. The bark is usually smooth and white, the leaves 

 nearly round and slightly pointed: the wood is soft and decays 



