The Poplars 165 



things, where a soft wood that is not liable to split or sliver is 

 desired. 



It occurs in the valleys and on the lower slopes of the moun- 

 tains of southern and central British Columbia and northward 

 along the Pacific Coast to Alaska. On the eastern side of its 

 range it becomes fused with the preceding and the two following 

 species. 



NARROW-LEAVED COTTONWOOD. Populus angustifolia. James. 



The narrow-leaved poplar closely resembles the balsam poplar, 

 but is distinguished by its long narrow leaves and almost up- 

 right branches. Its range does not seem well defined, as it is 

 not sharply distinguished from the balsam poplar in the north. 

 By some it is regarded as merely a variety of the balsam 

 poplar, while others assert that it hybridizes freely with it. 



It is found quite distinct and easily distinguishable from the 

 other in the southwestern part of the prairie region, but its 

 identity becomes fused with that of other species to the north 

 and east. It has been mentioned by some writers as occurring 

 as far east as southern Manitoba and the Red River valley, 

 but I have never seen it there. 



COTTONWOOD. Populus deltoides. Marshall. 



This is the necklace poplar of the Eastern States, and al- 

 though not the tallest, is one of the stoutest of them all. The 

 trunk often has a diameter of more than six feet, while it seldom 

 reaches one hundred feet in height. The bark on old trunks 

 is very thick and rough, but on young trees is smooth. The 

 buds are not so large as those of the balsam poplar and are only 

 slightly resinous. The tree is easily distinguished by its very 

 large leaves, often more than four inches across. 'These are 

 somewhat triangular in shape, the base of many of them being 

 almost a straight line. The petioles are long, flat and red 

 when young. The fertile catkins when ripe have the appearance 



