FOREST TREES. 



411 



with but little width. It may be seen in the view of the Mill 

 (plate 14) overtopping the other trees, and it forms a prominent object 

 in plate 16. This latter tree, thirty-two yards in height, has been blown 

 down since the picture was painted from which the plate was engraved. 

 Beautiful as these, trees are interspersed amongst others, it is an abuse 

 of their peculiarities to plant them in rows by themselves, as then 

 their stiff, formal, upright growth is unpleasant to the eye. They 

 are readily propagated by cuttings. 



On Mitcham Common a tree known by the name of the " Big 

 Tree" is very picturesque. It is the Black Poplar {Populus nigra) 

 which flowers later than the Abele, and may be known by the warts 

 on the trunk (fig. 935). 



Fig. 935.— Old B lack Poplar. 



Fig. 935 a. — Aspen. 



Fig. 936.— White Poplar., 



The Aspen {Populus tremula, fig, 935«) is grown more in Scotland 

 than here. It abounds at Loch Katrine, of which Sir W. Scott writes — 



"And variable as the shade 

 By the hght quivering aspen made." 



We have White Poplars {Populus alba), — " Populus Alcidse gratis- 

 sima " (ViRG. Bucol') — or Abele-trees (fig. 936), near us, which are 

 highly ornamental. The foliage is green on the upper side, but 

 white and downy on the lower, and it is perfectly fascinating when 

 fluttering in a suinmer's breeze. The white trunk of the tree forms 

 a fine object. A large tree grows a few feet from my garden, but 



