THE POPLAR. 325 
by its upright growth ; and having its lateral branches closely 
gathered around the stem, it forms a taper shape; possessing 
that habit of growth among deciduous trees which the upright 
cypress has among evergreens. It is a native of Italy, par- 
ticularly of the banks of the Po in Lombardy. It was intro- 
duced into Britain about the middle of the eighteenth century, 
and is propagated by cuttings as speedily as any description 
of willow. Being easily increased to any extent, it soon 
became common throughout Britain. Some other species of 
the genus yield a greater bulk of timber in twenty years, but 
no other tree will attain to a greater height in that period. 
When young it grows vigorously in any soil, but to become of 
a great size the ground should be rich and deep, with water 
within reach of its roots. On the Continent it is usual to 
form fences of the tree, by inserting two or three year old 
plants, which commonly stand six or seven feet high, in 
straight lines. The plants, about six inches apart, are con- 
nected by a horizontal rod, placed at the height of three feet 
from the ground, thus forming a fence in one season. The 
plants are commonly lopped in course of a few years, and 
sometimes are thinned out, which enables those remaining to 
become of considerable girth, and useful as timber. Through- 
out a great part of the Continent this is the only tree in the 
divisions and along the margins of fields ; but the uniformity 
of its growth, the straight lines, and the flatness of many 
parts of the country, form. scenes mondétonous and wearisome. 
In this country the principal use of the tree is embellishment 
and shelter. It speedily rises to a great height, and forms a 
screen of verdure during summer. In landscape-gardening it 
forms a very striking object ; judiciously introduced into the 
masses of round-headed forest trees, it changes and improves 
the features of the scene. It has a commanding effect situated 
at the end of buildings, or arising from the background, 
diversifying the regularity of the sky-mark usually formed by 
the tops of ordinary plantations. As an adjunct to an old 
ruin, a group of this species often adds greatness and dignity to 
the scene, when skilfully placed and viewed from a distance. 
