COTTONWOODS. 197 



when shedding its seed. It has, however, done good service 

 in our western states and may continue to be of service in 

 first plantings, but our people had better plant longer lived 

 and more desirable trees mixed in with it to replace it when it 

 fails. Occasionally, however, the Cottonwood can be used to 

 advantage where a quick tree effect is wanted, for where it has 

 plenty of water it will make a great stately tree in a very 

 short time. If one wishes to plant Cottonwood and avoid the 

 * 'cotton," which is so objectionable, cuttings from the stami- 

 nate tree only should be used as this form produces no cot- 

 ton. The wood of the Cottonwood is used for cheap packing 

 cases, for paper pulp and for fuel. For fuel and lumber the 

 wood should be dried under cover as it decays very quickly 

 when exposed to moisture. 



Yellow Cottonwood. In some sections along the Missis- 

 sippi and Missouri rivers is found what is known as Yellow 

 Cottonwood, which it is difficult or quite impossible to distin- 

 guish from the common or White Cottonwood by any of its 

 external characters, but there is a very distinct difference 

 in the wood. Some good authorities have thought this dif- 

 ference associated with the sex of the trees, but this is im- 

 probable as the form seems localized. 



What is known as Yellow Cottonwood lumber is highly 

 esteemed for turnery and various purposes for which Tulip 

 Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) is used and is manufactured 

 in large quantities. It has also been used for the siding of 

 houses with good results. The characters of the wood of 

 each are quite clearly given in a letter recently received from 

 the "Three States Lumber Co.." of Cairo, 111., from which 

 the following is taken: 



"The Cotton wood belt extends along the Mississippi River 

 below Cairo, and there is also considerable along the Mis- 

 souri River. The Cottonwood in the Mississippi Valley 

 consists mostly of Yellow Cottonwood. This generally grows 

 on low moist land and any Cottonwood that is found growing 

 on land that is subject to overflow is generally the soft 

 yellow variety, known as Yellow Cottonwood. There is some 

 White Cottonwood growing in the southern part of Illinois, 

 on high, dry ground. It is not possible to distinguish one 



