152 THE TREE BOOK 



higher into the heavens, where it met the re- 

 proachful, sorrowful look of Christ and at once 

 began to tremble, and it has never ceased. 



The fragrant balsam trees also belong to the 

 poplars. The fishermen of the Great Lakes use 

 bits of bark from the Tacmahac, or balsam pop- 

 lar, instead of cork to float their nets. The 

 wood of this tree is soft and brown. It is a 

 favorite in making paper pulp, which is in turn 

 fashioned into everything from a baby's rattle 

 to a car wheel. The balm of Gilead is often 

 spoken of as the heart-leaved balsam poplar. 

 It is the most majestic of the poplars, and is a 

 great favorite for lanes and parks and along 

 driveways. You may distinguish it from its 

 relatives by the stickiness of its shoots at all 

 times, caused by the slow oozing of a fragrant 

 oil or "balsam." In winter the buds are 

 gummy with this resinous substance. When 

 the early spring sunshine melts the "balsam," 

 one could find the tree in the dark, by its pun- 

 gent odor. In April, the tree is a mass of snow- 

 white "cotton tails." The fleecy sails come 

 down in clouds with each passing breeze, and 

 are often carried long distances from the trees. 



Until just recently the willow family was re- 

 garded as of little value commercially. But 

 since the rapid rise of the willow ware industry, 



