Handbook <jf Teeks of the Northern States axd C'A:^TADA. 101 



The Narrow-leai (Cottonwood is a medium- 

 size tree rarely surpassing (>() or 70 ft. in 

 height or 18 in. in thiekness of trunk. It 

 develops a rather narrow pyramidal top of 

 ascending pale ashen gray branehes, light 

 orange-bruwn lustrous brauclilets of llie season 

 and small buds. The livid suiootli bark of the 

 younger trunks lieeonies lissurcd with age. as 

 the trunk enlarges, auil finally is furrowed 

 with dark lirni ridges. Its snuill sliort- 

 stenuned narrow green leaves are more sug- 

 gestive of some of tlie broader-lea\-ed Willows 

 than of the other Poplars, and eonstitute a 

 feature by which this tree is qviickly recog- 

 nized. It is the eoninioiicst Cottonwood over a 

 considerable part of its range skirting the 

 hanks of streams and moist places between the 

 iiltituiles of 5000 and 10000 ft. above the sea. 

 It is extensively plaided as a shade tree in the 

 streets nf towns of ( 'ulorado and fUah. 



The \\'ood is light, a cubic foot ;\'eighing 

 24.:3S lbs., soft, not strong, and of a light 

 brown cohu' with ligliter saji-wood. 



I.iiins lancoolaO' In (.vatr-lan. lair. i;-::i.j in. 



Ion,;;. riMindcd or cuilriili- at Inisiv narrnnaim I" ail 



acute or blunt ape.x, Ihirly sm-alr Hi lirr Irimdi 



lor coarsely serral'' mi \-j,i^(iniiis sIhmiIs) rallcf 



(hin, slabroiis. .vellnw-,;;i n ahcor. paler limcalli, 



with tiroatl midribs: prlinlrs i..-''i in. Imm i;riio\-.'il 

 above hut not lateraliv ilaionii-.l rinirrj-« m 

 cinselv llr.wered Klabr.nis shnrl -si allinl anirnis; 

 stamiiiale wilb cnii-sliaiH'cI disk and IL'-'JO sla- 

 mens : pistillair wilb cnii-sliaprd disk and hroad- 

 bibed sliumas. fnnl ill rivet nr inclined aments, 

 2-:; in. Innu' Willi hi'uad-ovoid crowded shorl- 

 pcdicrlcd eapsillrs. 



