164-8 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III. 



very fine appearance, either when planted singly, or on the margins of woods; 

 from its fine, round, and somewhat pendulous head, the beautiful glaucous 

 green of its leaves, and, above all, by their perpetual trembling. The shade 

 of all the poplars is considered more wholesome than that of any other tree ; 

 and that of this species is thought better than any of the others. The great 

 drawback to the tree, when planted singly on lawns or pastures, or in hedge- 

 rows, is the number of suckers which it throws up ; and which, if not eaten 

 down by cattle, or mown, would soon turn a whole country into an aspen 

 forest. Perhaps it might be grafted on P. nigra, which does not throw up 

 suckers, or possibly on some kind of willow. 



Poetical and legendary Allusions. The constant quivering of the aspen 

 leaves has rendered the tree a favourite subject of allusion to the modern 

 poets, and others, who have wished to find a comparison for anything in 

 constant motion. One of the most curious superstitions respecting this tree 

 is that of the Highlanders, who believe that the cross of Christ was made of 

 it, and that, consequently, it can never rest. This, however, as Miss Kent 

 observes, can hardly apply to the leaves, as the cross could not have been 

 made of them ; but perhaps, she adds, " they struggle to escape from the 

 wicked wood on which they grow." (Syl. Sketches, p. 31.) Gerard compares 

 the leaves to women's tongues, " which seldom cease wagging." 



The following are some of the principal poetical allusions to the aspen : 



" His hand did quake 



And tremble like a leaf of aspen green." 



SPENSER. 



" A perfect calm ; that not a breath 

 Is heard to quiver through the closing woods, 

 Or rustling turn the many-twinkling leaves 

 Of aspen tall" 



THOMPSON. 



Sir W. Scott has many allusions to this tree; particularly in the well- 

 known lines, 



" Oh, woman ! in our hours of ease 

 Uncertain, coy, and hard to please, 

 And variable as the shade 

 By the light quivering aspen made, 

 When pain or sicknesss rends the brow, 

 A ministering angel thou." 



Soil, Situation, $c. As the roots of this tree chiefly extend close under 

 the surface of the ground, it is not necessary that the soil should be deep ; 

 but, for the same reason, it ought to be loamy, rich rather than poor, and con- 

 stantly moist. Hence, also, this tree is better adapted for soils that are con- 

 stantly wet below, than almost any other tree, since its roots, by keeping so very 

 near the surface, are never out of the reach of the air, which they would be 

 if they penetrated into soil perpetually saturated with water. The conditions 

 which this tree requires in respect to soil are found in moist woods, where 

 the shade of the tree diminishes evaporation, and where the annual fall and 

 decay of the leaves produce a constant supply of leaf-mould. The next 

 most favourable situation is an open moist meadow, in which the tree, being 

 freely exposed to the light and air on every side, attains its largest size, and 

 assumes its finest form. In dry soils, the tree will live for many years, but 

 never either attain a large size, or display its foliage to advantage. When 

 planted in masses by itself, the trees may be placed at the distance from each 

 other of 6 ft. or 8 ft. every way ; and such a plantation, on a suitable soil, 

 will have attained perfection in 50 or 60 years, and may be cut down as 

 timber. After felling, the shoots seldom push vigorously; but the abundant 

 suckers from the roots will produce a second crop of timber, if that should 

 be considered advisable. Treated as a coppice-wood, it may be cut down 

 every 7 or 8 years, for faggot-wood ; and, for poles, every 15 or 20 years. 

 When mixed with other trees in a timber plantation, the most suitable sorts 

 to plant with it are said to be the oak and the beech. 



