260 ) TREES IN WINTER 



CAROLINA POPLAR 



Cottonv/ood, Necklace Poplar. 



Populus deltoides Marsh. 



P. monilifera Ait. ; P. canadensis Moench. 



HABIT — A large tree, the largest of the Poplars, 75-100 ft. in height, 

 with a trunk diameter of 3-5 ft.; lower branches massive nearly horizon- 

 tal, those above arising at a sharper angle and forming altogether in old 

 trees a broad-spreading, rather open head, often as broad as high; in 

 younger individuals forming a more pyramidal head; of very rapid 

 growth hence much planted for quick effects. The form cultivated under 

 the name Carolina Poplar and considered by some distinct from the 

 Cottonwood, is of pyramidal habit of growth with erect tapering trunk 

 continuous to the top of the tree and producing branches in whorls at 

 the upper limit of each year's growth. The habit photograph was taken 

 from the more commonly cultivated form. 



BARK — On young trunks and branches thin, smooth, light yellowish- 

 green. On older trunks thick, ashy-gray, deeply divided into long, 

 broad, flatfish or eventually rounded ridges of characteristic appearance 

 in native-grown trees. 



TW^IGS — Stout, yellowish to greenish-yellow, som-etimes with slight 

 tinge of brown, smooth, round or marked especially on vigorous trees 

 with more or less prominent wings running down from the two sides 

 and bases of the leaf-scars. LENTICELS — large, pale, elongated longi- 

 tuamally. 



LifiAF-SCARS — Alternate, more than 2-ranked, large, 3-lobed, inver- 

 sely triangular. STIPULE-SCARS — generally conspicuous, blackish, 

 BUNDLE-SCARS — 3, simple or compound. 



BUDS — Conical, large, the lateral buds reaching 15 mm., and the 

 terminal buds reaching 20 mm. in length, frequently much smaller; 

 lateral buds, especially the larger flower buds, generally divergent and 

 often strongly recurved; terminal bud more or less distinctly 5-sided. 

 BUD-SCALES — smooth, light chestnut brown, shining, first scale of 

 lateral bud anterior; outer scales slightly resinous-sticky, inner scales 

 thickly coated with a light yellow sticky resin which is scarcely fra- 

 grant. 



FRUIT — A catkin of small capsules with hairy seeds ripening in 

 spring. 



COMPARISONS — The Carolina Poplar is distinguished from our 

 other Poplars except the Lombardy Poplar by its light yellow twig-s. 

 The Lombardy has somewhat similar twigs but they are more slender, 

 the buds are generally much smaller and typically appressed. Appressed 

 buds do occur on the Carolina Poplar and divergent buds on the 

 Lombardy. but they are more typical on each tree as indicated. The 

 distinct habit of the Lombardy Poplar is however a sufficient criterion 

 of this latter species. 



DISTRIBUTION — In moist soil, river banks and basins, shores of lakes 

 not uncommon in drier locations, often cultivated. Throughout Quebec 

 and Ontario to the base of the Rocky mountains; south to Florida, west 

 to the Rocky mountains. 



IN NEW ENGLAND — Maine — not reported; New Hampshire — restricted 

 to the immediate vicinity of the Connecticut river, disappearing near 

 the northern part of Westmoreland; Vermont — western sections, abun- 

 dant along the shores of the Hoosac river in Pownal and along Lake 

 Champlain; in the Connecticut valley as far north as Brattleboro; 

 Massachusetts — along the Connecticut and its tributaries; Connecticut — • 

 frequent in the valleys of the Connecticut, Farmington and Housatonic 

 rivers; rare or occasional elsewhere; Rhode Island — occasional. 



WOOD — Dark brown, with thick nearly white sapwood, light and soft, 

 warping badly in drying and difficult to season, used for paper pulp 

 and in the manufacture of boxes. 



