Handbook of Teees of the Noei 



States and Canada. 



89 



This large and beautiful Willow, like the 

 Brittle Willow, is an immigrant from the Old 

 World, and so prolific is it and so adapted to 

 our ciinuitic conditions that it is now growing 

 spontaneously on the banks of almost every 

 stream tluit llo« s through the popiulated 

 regions of the middle and eastern states and 

 Canada. Its bright yellow branches, especially 

 conspicuous i)i early spring before the appear- 

 ance of the leaves, are seen in greater abun- 

 dance even than most of our native Willows. 

 In size and furbit of growth it is a noble tree 

 sometimes attaining the height of 70 or 80 ft. 

 with short thick trunk 3-5 ft. in diameter 

 clothed in a dark gray bark rough with promi- 

 nent scaly ridges. It divides near the ground 

 into a few large branches, which radiate out 

 and form a rather irregular broad or rounded 

 top. It is a favorite ornamental tree in moist 

 localities and particularly adapted to planting 

 along the banks of streams and dikes to pre- 

 vent erosion. Sections of fresh branches 

 merely stuck into the wet soil in early spring 

 is all that is reqrrired. Soon these put out 

 lca\-es and grow Ai'ith surprising rapidity, as 

 though cognizant of their mission and the im- 

 portance of prompt action. In a few years 

 they become large trees, sometimes increasing 

 in trunk diameter at the rate of 3 or 4 in. 

 in a year, and their roots firmly bind the soil 

 together. 



The wood of the Yellow Willow is very light, 

 soft, tough and of a light brown color with 

 thick sap-wood. 2 Its chief use in this country 

 is for charcoal and fuel, though adapted to 

 other uses to which it is applied in its native 

 land. 



Lravps lancpolate, 2-.^) in. long, tapering to ])aso, 

 long acuminate, finely serrate, sillty liairy both 

 sides when young, glabrous at maturity and dark 

 green alrove, paler and glaucous beneath ; stipules 

 ovate-lanceolate, deciduous ; petioles ^U in. long 

 or less, slightly if at all glandular ; branchlets 

 glabrous, bright yellow or reddish tinted. FhnrrrH 

 appearing with the leaves anients terminating 

 lalcral leafy branchlets, scales yellowish, falling 

 before the ripening of the fruit ; stigmas nearly 

 sessile. Fruit: capsules narrow-ovoid, long- 

 pointed, glabrous, with very short pedicel. 



1. Syn. Salix alhn vav. ritrUina Ivoch. 



2. A. W.. Tl. tu. 



