STUDIES OF TREES IN WINTER 



ware. In old times when it was the fashion 

 for women to wear high-heeled shoes this wood 

 was used in making heels, as it was light and 

 hest adapted to the purpose. 



The specific name, graudidentaia (large 

 toothed), refers to the serrations of the leaf, 

 which are much coarser than those of the 

 American aspen. 



Balm of ^ ^^^^ ^'''''^' "^^ ^'^ 7° f^^^ high. 

 Gilead; Balsam The bark is smooth and grccn- 



°P ^"^ ish gray, often roughly ridged 



Populns balsaini/cya j -. r i it 



at the base of the trunk. Laro-e 

 buds zuith overlapping scales covered zviih a 

 sticky, yellow, glutinous substance. Conspicuous 

 alternate leaf-scars. 



In the early spring, when the sun has melted 

 the gummy resin which co\-ers the buds of the 

 balm of Gilead, one can tell the tree blind- 

 folded by its sweet, pungent perfume, and even 

 in winter the buds have this same strong, 

 medicinal, aromatic odor which serves as a 

 means of reco^nizinsf the tree. 



Pallas says that when grouse and other birds 

 of that family feed on the buds of the balm of 

 Gilead during the winter, their flesh becomes 

 imbued with the balsam flavor, which he seems 

 to think adds to the relish of the meat as food. 



This tree grows very fast on almost any kind 



I02 



