IIakdbook of Ti;kkr of tiif Nortiiei;n Statj^s axd Oaxada. 103 



The Balm of Gileud when in its prime is a 

 beautiful large l'o|ihir, attaining the heiglil of 

 70 or 80 ft. <ir uiow with hroail and iire.nii l;ir 

 spreading to)!, and trunk attaining a tliiikm^s 

 of 3-0 ft., vested in a rather thick Hrmly ridged 

 gray bark at base, while the ii|)|)er trunk and 

 branches are ccivered with a smooth jfeilowish 

 brown bark. In a wild state it is a rare tree 

 and apparently quite local in dislril>ution, liut 

 from earh" times it has been a favorite tree 

 for shade, and being verv' hardy was planted 

 abundantly in the dooryards of country 

 homes throvighout the noi'thern states and 

 Canada, It is a beautiful object at first with 

 its large parti-colored heart-shaped leaves con- 

 stantly Ihittering from the sliglitest breezes. 

 Unfortunately it is a sbort-liveil trei' and early 

 becomes decrepit. Then its dropping limbs 

 make it unsightly and undesirable, but suckers 

 generally spring up in ainindance aliout it and 

 c\cntually take its place, if allowed ti> do so, 

 and in this way trees once planted continue to 

 occupy the soil for a long time. The fra- 

 grance of the sticky buds and new leaves of this 

 tree is so luarkcil as to lie detected sometimes 

 at some distance from the tree, and attracts 

 the bees to it i]i abundam-e after the sticky 

 \arnish on its buds, 'This they gather, pack 

 onto their tliighs and carry away to seal the 

 crevices of their hives — the material called 

 propolis by the bee-keepers, T Inu'C obscr\i'd 

 that goose-berry aiul currant bushes plantcci 

 beneath the branrhcs of this tree a le not 

 molested liy the (lcstructi\e currant-worm, the 

 emanations ni the tree sceniin,;^^ i" be lii^tiisti'- 

 ful or disastrous to them, .Xi-roi'ding to I'rnf 

 L, TT. Bailey, the Balm of (lilcad was an im 

 portant liimljcr tree in the forests of Michig.in 

 in eaidy days. 



The wood is soft, light, n cubic foot weighing 

 2,').f).') lbs, when alisolutely dry, easily wm-kcil 

 and suitable for the nianii fa.d lire of lioxc^. 

 pails, excelsior, etc. 



r.rnras broad lieai't-shaped, .1-0 in. Ion.!;, acnminnlc 

 r.-ithcr coarsely ci-cnatc-serrafe anrl eil in Ic-nia r- 

 uincrt, puliescclit when .vounK liiit linall.y siahrons 

 (lark sreen ahove, whitish, stronaiy reticulated ami 

 sniTiefimes rusty licneath : petioles nearly terclc 

 and veins lienrafh commonly pulicsccnt ; buds lar^e 

 and covered wdth a sticky aromatic rrsin. Flaircr.i 

 in pubescent anients, the scales fallmK early: 

 stamens ln-30 : lobes of stisma lirnart and lariic 

 Fruit capsules crowded on the stems, ovoid, '-'- 

 valved and with short pedicels, 



1 Syn Populus haliamifcra var. candicans 

 Gray. 



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