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In the north the tree is scarcely more than 50 ft. in 

 height; in the south it is often twice this size. The trunk, 

 which is covered with gray-brown bark, is mostly continuous, 

 and bears towards the top the slender spreading branches. 

 The leaf-blades, which are hoary when very young, sub- 

 sequently become bright green and smooth. The leaf stalk 

 is round, and consequently the leaves do not quiver in the 

 breeze as they do in nearly all the other Hudson Valley 

 poplars. 



The flowers are of two kinds, those which subsequently 

 produce fruit and those which do not. Almost always the 

 two kinds are found on different trees, and they come out in 

 April and May, usually before the leaves. The flower 

 cluster, or catkin, is about 2 or 3 inches long. The fruits 

 mature in May or June, and are filled with the seeds which 

 are closely invested with silky, white or orange hairs. 



The wood is of little economic importance, although under 

 the name of black poplar it has been used in interior decorat- 

 ing and finishing. 



Balsam Poplar Populus balsamifera 



The balsam poplar, more or less of a swamp tree, occurs in 

 the extreme northerly part of the Hudson Valley. It is 

 known to be plentiful northward into Newfoundland and 

 Hudson Bay, but becomes scarcer southward. It is a tall 

 tree reaching a height of 100 feet and a trunk diameter of 

 4 feet, under favorable conditions. The bark and young 

 twigs are reddish-gray; and the buds are conspicuously 

 resinous. 



Balm of Gilead Populus candicans 



The Balm of Gilead poplar, which may be distinguished 

 by its bright green and smooth young leaves, with hairy 

 stalks, is not known as a wild tree in the Hudson Valley. 

 There are numerous specimens of this tree in the area but 

 they are presumably derivatives of cultivated trees. The 

 home of the Balm of Gilead is doubtful, but it has been 

 stated to be Michigan and the country to the northwest. 



