262 TREES OF MINNESOTA. 
Populus grandidenta. Largetooth Aspen. 
Leaves roundish-ovate, with coarse unequal teeth, densely 
covered with silky wool beneath when young, smooth on both 
sides when old; petioles flattened, twigs not angled. Flowers in 
hairy catkins three to four inches long, the staminate catkins 
longer than the pistillate, stamens about twelve; seeds very 
small, dark brown. A medium-sized slender tree, with greenish 
gray bark rarely over seventy-five feet high and two feet in 
diameter; resembles the Aspen, and is sometimes confounded 
with it, but unlike the common Aspen it rapidly attains consid- 
erable size under cultivation. 
Distribution —From Nova Scotia west to Northern Minnesota 
and North Dakota, south to North Carolina, Kentucky and Ten- 
nessee. In Minnesota throughout most of the state in forests, 
usually in rich moist sandy soil near swamps and streams. 
Propagation.—By seeds and cuttings. 
Properties of Wood.—Wight, soft, and close grained but not 
strong; light brown with thin, white sapwood. Specific gravity, 
0.4632; weight of a cubic foot, 28.87 pounds. 
Uses—The Largetooth Aspen can sometimes be planted in 
timber belts to advantage. It makes good straight poles for 
various farm purposes and for framing; it is also used for wood 
pulp, and occasionally in turnery and for woodenware. 
Varietics.—Populus grandidenta has given rise to several varie- 
ties with pendulous branches, which when grafted on straight 
stems of the species are used in ornamental planting and form 
the best weeping poplars. 
Populus balsamifera. Balm of Gilead. Tacamahac. 
Leaves ovate, lanceolate, acute or taper pointed, smooth on 
poth sides; petioles not prominently flattened; buds in spring 
are large and abundantly covered and saturated with a fragrant 
aromatic varnish. Flowers appear in April or May; the stami- 
nate catkins two to three inches, and the pistillate four to six 
inches in length; stamens very numerous, purple. Seeds witha 
large cottony float. A large, upright tree, with narrow straight 
top, and nearly smooth gray bark, the largest of the sub-arctic 
trees, 
