SILVICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS 59 



The seed has a wing which helps to carry it some distance. 

 It germinates best on moist mineral soil rich in humus and 

 seedling reproduction in the north woods is usually fair. The 

 tree has the further advantage of being a prolific sprouter, by 

 which it reproduces almost entirely in Connecticut and Massa- 

 chusetts. Clumps of basswoods are common wherever the tree 

 occurs. 



It is little troubled by insects, but is easily damaged by fire. 

 Its wood being Hght, straight-grained, and easily worked, gives 

 it a demand for many purposes, as for lumber, clapboards, 

 excelsior, etc. 



The high value of the lumber, its rapid growth, and ability 

 to reproduce by seed and sprouts, make the basswood second 

 only to ash in the forester's estimation, especially in northern 

 New England. 



Poplar {Populus tre?nuloides, P. grandidentata, P. balsamea). 



The national range of these three species is somewhat differ- 

 ent but they all occur well scattered throughout New England. 

 P. tremuloides is more common in the northern, and P. grandi- 

 dentata in the southern portions. 



These true poplars should not be confused with the tulip tree 

 which is called in some sections yellow poplar and is native in 

 southern New England but has a different character from the 

 real poplars, which are all similar to each other. 



The poplars are not fastidious as to soils except that they 

 rarely grow on heavy clay. They are common on sandy soils 

 and prefer warm, well-drained situations. They are all very 

 exacting of light and do not endure much shade at any time. 



Poplar is noted for its rapid growth and attains a diameter of 

 ten inches or a foot, and a height of sixty feet, in forty years. 

 It is short lived, however, and usually infested by a fungus, 

 Fomes igniarius, by the time it is forty and begins to die at the 

 top. The bark is thin and the tree is damaged easily by fire. 



The crop of seed which is borne every summer is always a 

 prolific one and as the seed is very light it is blown long distances. 



