THE TREMBLING POPLAR, OR ASPEN. 167 



fifteen feet in circumference at one yard from the gi'ound. 

 The trunk rises forty-live feet before it divides, and then 

 throws out a profusion of branches. But the largest on 

 record is one, mentioned in Feldborg's Denmark, in the 

 south of Zealand, near the school of Herlussholm : it is 

 upwards of a hundred feet high, and its trunk is twenty- 

 two feet in circumference. In 1828 it is stated to have 

 been a majestic tree, in full vigour, and without a decayed 

 branch. 



THE TEEMBLI^sG POPLAE, or ASPEN. 



POPULUS TREMULA. 



The Aspen is described by Pliny under the name of 

 Libyan Poplar, and is said to have a very smaU dark leaf, 

 in great repute for its galls. It is a native of a very 

 extensive range of country, being found throughout the 

 whole of the south of Europe, Asia Minor, and in Lapland 

 to the Frozen Ocean. It prefers wet soils, but is by no 

 means confined to the low countries ; for in Scotland it 

 flourishes at an elevation of 1600 feet above the level of 

 the sea. It derives its English name, Aspen, from the 

 German name of the tree, Espe, and may readily be dis- 

 tinguished from the other British species by its round 

 leaves, which are of a dark shining green above, and much 

 paler beneath, though destitute of the downy covering 

 which characterises the White Poplar. The leaf-stalk is 

 remarkably long and slender, and being compressed verti- 

 cally towards its upper extremity, is too weak to support 

 the leaf in a horizontal position. Consequently, the 

 slightest breeze sets it in motion, and hence originated its 

 name, Trembling Poplar. 



This peculiarity has obtained for the Aspen the un- 

 enviable distinction of being selected as the poetical 

 emblem of restlessness, inconstancy, and fear. 



