GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE TREES 



that always seemed to have advance information 

 as to the coming of spring, for they would 

 swell out and become exceedingly shiny at the 

 first touch of warm sun. Soon the sun -caress- 

 ing would be responded to by the bursting of 

 the buds, or the falling away of their ingenious 

 outer protecting scales, which dropped to the 

 ground, where, sticky and shining, and ex- 

 traordinarily aromatic in odor, they were just 

 what a curious school-boy enjoyed investigating. 

 "Balm of Gilead" was the name that inquiry 

 brought for this tree, and the resinous and 

 sweet -smelling buds which preceded the rather 

 inconspicuous catkins or aments of bloom 

 seemed to justify the Biblical designation. 



Nearly a world tree is this poplar, which in 

 some one of its variable forms is called also 

 tacamahac, and balsam poplar as well. Its 

 cheerful upright habit, really fine leaves and 

 generally pleasing air commend it, but there 

 is one trouble it is almost too vigorous and 

 anxious to spread, which it does by means of 

 shoots or "suckers," upspringing from its wide 

 area of root -growth, thus starting a little forest 

 of its own that gives other trees but small 



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