THE GREY POPLAR. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



OWN by the waterways where the Poplars live, the grey- 

 catkins of the Aspen and the opening buds of the Grey 

 and White Poplars make light patches on the landscape, 

 while the last of the winter floods are held up in the 

 sluices by the brimming river. When the sabre leaves of the flags 

 are well up, woolly white leaves cover the Poplars, and the catkins of 

 the Aspen are replaced by quivering foliage. When great yellow 

 blossoms top the flags and meadow-sweet and flowering rush mark 

 the course of dry ditches, the Poplar leaves are still white above as 

 well as below, and the balsam scent from the Black Poplar gives 

 way to that or new hay. After haytime, when the cattle are turned 

 into the fresh green grass that has sprung up, green tints replace 

 the whiteness on the top sides of the leaves. Those on the suckers 

 not reached by the cattle still bear their coat of whitened wool. 

 Throughout the hot summer the restless Aspen leaves move to breezes 

 we cannot feel, and the purple loosestrife, comfrey, and willow-herb 

 make a garden of the waterways till autumn comes, when single 

 golden leaves hang limply on outlined branches. Once again the 

 sluices overflow, and beds of pale yellow reeds give colour to the 

 winter landscape. At night the Poplars stand out from the rising mist; 

 from overhead comes the sound of flighting ducks. Through the 

 mist the light of a shepherd's lanthorn passes to and fro across the 

 meadows like some will-o'the-wisp. 



THE GREY POPLAR (Populus Canescens). 



This tree is generally regarded as a variety of the Aspen (to 

 which it bears a marked resemblance), and a native oi Britain, li 



