ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



311 



COTTONWOOD— WinC'H IS IT, 

 I'ojJulus monilifera or Populus miyulatu ! 



Dr. J. G. Cooper, in his Report, in Vol. XII 

 of the Pacific llailroad Survey in Oregon, says: 



" Two, and perhaps more, species of Poplar 

 form the forest growth on the inundated river 

 banks, from an elevation of .'lOOO feet down to 

 tide-water. They are also found on all the 

 rivers running from the Rocky Mountains, and 

 perhaps entirely across the continent One of 

 these is the Cottonwood {Populus monilifera) ; 

 the other is distinguished as 'Balsam,' or ' Bit- 

 ter Poplar,' it is peculiar to the western half 

 of the continent (Popidus angustifolia). The 

 wood of both is of little value, but they grow 

 rapidly and are ornamental. The islands and 

 low shores of the Columbia are covered with 

 these trees, of larger size than I have ever seen 

 them elsewhere." 



Dr. J. M. Bigelow, in Vol. XIV of the Re- 

 ports, says : 



" Populus Monilifera— Cottonwoou— Pop- 

 lar. — This tree is somewhat different from the 

 Cottonwood of the Mississippi, wliich I believe 

 is P. angulata. It is found east as far as the 

 Canadian river, and West until we cross the 

 Sierra Nevada. In the Rio Grand valley it is 

 used by the Mexicans for building. It is also 

 employed for farming utensils, the most unique 

 of which is their cart, the wheels being made of 

 a section of this tree. Tliey are six or eight 

 inches thicli, and manufactured in the rudest 

 manner. The timber is tough and hiin I. It does 

 not grow here as tall as on the Mississippi river, 

 but occasionally it is (juite large and spreading." 



Dr. John Torrey, in his report on the ])lants 

 of California and New Mexico, collected in the 

 expedition commanded by Captain AVilliamson 

 (Report, Vol. IX), says: 



"Populus monilifera, Ait. — This is the com- 

 mon Cottonwood, which has a range from the 

 Atlantic to the great (.Colorado, and almost as 

 great an extent of latitude. It is abundant in 

 some places near Fort Yuraa." 



Dr. James, in Long's Expedition to the Rocky 

 Mountains, says : 



"As far as our observation has extended, the 

 Poplar most common iu the country of the Mis- 

 sissippi, and indeed almost the only one which 

 occurs, is the Populus angulata. This tree is 

 perhaps as widely distributed as any indigenous 

 to North America, extending at least from Can- 

 ada to Louisiana, and from the Atlantic to the 

 lower part of the Columbia river." 



NATIVE OAKS.-No. 3. 



11).-,.] 



A Quii.STiox.— The northern limits of southern 

 plants and the soutlieru limits of northern plants 

 should be carefully noted. There are three north- 

 ern plants found as far south as Peoria, viz., 

 Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Spring., Meni/anthes 

 trifoliata, Linn., and Salix myrtilloides, L. {S. 

 pedicellaris, Pursh.) Where are the southern 

 limits of these plants In Illinois ? F. Buenukl. 



Willow Oiik {qucrrm I'liillos, L.) 



We would say with respect to the figures 

 given of the Oaks, that we have only aimed to 

 present correct average outlines, as an aid, 

 through the eye, to a clearer conception of the 

 diflcrences between the species. As to nerva- 

 tion, surface of leaf, &c., we have not attempted 

 precision. The form of leaf in different species 

 varies so mucli that our space forbids a full 

 illustration. 



We propose in tliis paper to notice some of 

 the biennial fruited Oaks. First, iu that divis- 

 ion we have the entire or willow-leaved species. 

 In the eastern portion of the United States there 

 are of this section three species. 1. The upland 

 Willow Oak (Quercus cinerea, Michx.) This 

 is a shrub or small tree, ranging from five to 

 twenty feet high, growing in sandy pine barrens 

 from Eastern Virginia through the Southern 

 States, becoming very abundant in Mississippi. 

 The leaves are from li to 2 inches long, thick, 

 shining, oblong, on yonng shoots sometimes 

 toothed, and hanging long on the tree, but not 

 evergreen except far south. They are bristle- 

 pointed, downy on the under surface, with the 

 edge or margin somewhat rolled back. The 

 acorn is roundish, about half an inch long, the 

 cup shallow and very short stalked. 



2. The Willow Oak {Qmrnis phillos, L.) 

 This is a large tree growing iu low swampy 



