TREES AND SHRUBS FURNISHING MEDICINAL BARKS. 



11 



The tamarack has horizontally spreading branches, and reaches a maximum 

 height of 100 feet. The pale green leaves, which appear early in spring, are 

 short, very slender, and needle shaped, from 20 to 40 together in a fascicle, or 

 bundle, similar to the manner in which pine needles grow, except that they are 

 without sheaths i fig. 2 I . 



The aments. or flower clusters, are inconspicuous, and are of two kinds, 

 staminate or male, and pistillate or female. The female clusters have a reddish 

 and greenish tinge, and develop later into small erect <:-,.nes. resembling in minia- 

 ture cones of some of the pines and spruces I fig. 2). 



Description of hark.— The tamarack bark, as found in the stores, is in rather 

 large, coarse pieces or slabs, having the 

 outer layer removed. The outer sur- 

 face has a rather fibrous appearance, 

 cinnamon brown in color, occasionally 

 showing patches of brownish red or al- 

 most purplish where the outside layer 

 has been imperfectly shaved off : the 

 inner surface is smooth and light brown. 

 The whole breaks with a somewhat 

 woody fracture, showing ragged, splint- 

 ery edges. The odor is rather strong 

 and disagreeable. 



Prices and uses. — Tamarack bark at 

 present is paid for at the rate of from 

 1* to 3 cents a pound. 



The bark, in decoction, is said to be 

 useful as a tonic and alterative, and 

 also as a laxative and diuretic. 



ASPEN. 



Populus tremuloides Michx. 



Other common names. — White poplar. 

 American poplar, trembling poplar. 

 American aspen, mountain-asp. quaking 

 asp. quiverleaf. auld-wives"-tongues. 



Haoitat and range. — The aspen is 

 found in dry or moist soil from north- 

 ern Canada and Alaska south to the 

 mountains of Pennsylvania, to southern 

 Illinois, northwestern Missouri, and in the FlG - y - — 

 Rocky Mountains to Lower California. 



Description of tree. — The greatest height attained by the aspen is loo feet, 

 with a trunk measuring about 3 feet in diameter. It is a native of this country 

 and belongs to the willow family (Salicaceae). The branches and trunks of the 

 younger trees are covered with a smooth, light grayish green bark, but on older 

 trees the bark becomes dark and deeply fissured i fig. 3 i . The young unfold- 

 ing leaves are whitish and woolly, but become smooth as they expand. The 

 leaves are broadly oval or rounded, with a somewhat heart-shaped bi - 

 short-pointed apex, and finely round-toothed or frequently saw-toothed margin 

 Cfig. 4). They are about 1* to 2 inches in length, and are borne on long, 

 slender stalks which are flattened on the sides, causing the leaves to be set in 

 139 



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A 1 / 





I [Po pulua 



trunk. 



tremuloides 



