THE POPLARS. 133 



above is a deep, clear green ; that beneath is a little 

 lighter. The trunk of this tree is almost completely 

 covered from the ground upward with suckerlike 

 straight branches; these have a lightish gray -green 

 bark. The Lombardy poplar, one of the most pic- 

 turesque of objects in a hilly landscape, is unfortu- 

 nately ill adapted to the severity of our Northern 

 climate. In the Pemigewasset Valley I know of 

 three fine specimens which are gradually losiug their 

 tall figures through the bitter cold of the New Hamp- 

 shire winters ; the tops are slowly taking on the ap- 

 pearance of so much perpendicular brushwood bare 

 of every leaf. 



10 



