32 AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 
“Le Tremble a feuilles vient par-tout, méme dans les sables assez 
secs; l’autre (P. alba.) ne peut profiter que dans les lieux tres humides; 
tous les deux poussent des rejets en abondance. Leur bots est fort 
tendre; on en fait d’assez mauvais sabots, des barres, des chevilles — 
pour retenir le fond des futailles, et du palisson pour garniyr les entre- 
voux sous le carreau des planches.”’ (Duhamell.c.). “Les ébéntstes 
s’en servent a la place du sapin pour l’interieur de leurs ouvrages, 
parcequ’'ul n’a pas autant de noeuds. Il fait la principale nourriture 
des castors; les chevres, les moutons, les chevreuils, les daims brou- 
tent aussi les yeunes branches de cet arbre ou mangent ses feurlles. 
(Duhamel |. c.). 
Populus tremula is found occasionally in Maryland and Vir- 
ginia, and it was evidently introduced early: I have collected 
specimens from trees at Brookland, D. C., and at Hampton, 
Virginia. These undoubtedly belong to this species but they are 
not quite typical so far as the leaves are concerned. They corres- 
pond more nearly to the form growing in France. Specimens 
from Herbier Copineau collected in the forest of Rambouillet 
(Seine and Oise) are nearly identical with ours. The variation in 
leaf-form of P. tremula is very great, but the species is readily 
recognized by its long compressed petioles (in some cases the latter 
are much longer than the laminae) and its rounded, crenate-dentate 
glabrous leaves. There is also a great variation in the indentation 
of the leaf-margin. The color of the bark is light gray with some 
tinge of yellow or green. The young twigs are usually brownish. 
V. Populus tremuloides Michx. 
The American Quaking Aspen does not appear to have been 
distinguished by botanists of the 18th century from Populus 
tremula. It was definitely described by Marshall as follows: 
Populus tremula. American Aspen Tree. 
This grows frequently to the height of about thirty feet, covered 
with a smooth whitish bark. The leaves are small, smooth on both 
sides, of a dark green color above, but lighter underneath: roundish, 
and a little pointed, or forming nearly an equilateral spherical 
triangle; slightly crenated, a little waved on the edges, and trimmed 
with a very narrow hairy border. Their footstalks are pretty 
long, roundish at the base ,but compressed on their sides towards 
the base of the leaves. The katkins are large appearing early in 
the spring. (Marsh. Arb. 107, 1785.) 
