268 TREES OF MINNESOTA. 
service in first plantings, but our people had better plant longer- 
lived and more desirable trees mixed in with it to replace it 
when it fails. Occasionally, however, the Cottonwood can be used 
to advantage where a quick tree effect is wanted, for where it has 
plenty of water it will make a great stately tree in a very short 
time. If one wishes to plant Cottonwood and avoid the “cot- 
ton,” which is so objectionable, cuttings from the staminate tree 
only should be used, as this form produces no cotton. The 
wood of the Cottonwood is used for cheap packing cases, trays 
and bowls, for paper pulp, excelsior and for fuel. For fuel and 
lumber the wood should be dried under cover, as it decays very 
quickly when exposed to moisture. Some figures collected at 
the Minnesota Experiment Station show that on good land Cot- 
tonwood may yield as much as seven cords per acre per year 
increase. 
Yellow Cottonwood. In some sections along the Missis- 
sippi and Missouri rivers is found what is known as Yellow 
Cottonwood, which it is difficult or quite impossible to distin- 
euish from the common or White Cottonwood by any of its 
external characters, but there is a very distinct difference in the 
wood. Some good authorities have thought this difference 
associated with the sex of the trees, but this is improbable, as 
the form seems localized. 
What is known as Yellow Cottonwood lumber is highly 
esteemed for turnery and various purposes for which Tulip 
Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) is used, and is manufactured in 
large quantities. It has also been used for the siding of houses 
with good results. The characters of the wood of each are 
quite clearly given in a letter recently received from the ‘Three 
States Lumber Co.” of Cairo, IIL, from which the following is 
taken: 
“The Cottonwood belt extends along the Mississippi river 
below Cairo, and there is also considerable along the Missouri 
river. ‘The Cottonwood in the Mississippi Valley consists 
mostly of Yellow Cottonwood. This generally grows on low 
moist land, and any Cottonwood that is found growing on land 
that is subject to overflow is generally the soft yellow variety, 
known as Yellow Cottonwood. There is some White Cotton- 
wood growing in the southern part of Hlinois, on high, dry 
