OR ABELE TREE. 



357 



for the remainder of the chapter I shall include 

 them under the same name. 



CATKINS OF GREY POPLAR. 



The White Poplar was famous in the mytho- 

 logy of the ancients^ being consecrated to Her- 

 cules^ who, in commemoration of one of his 

 victories gained in a place w^here this tree was 

 growing in abundance, used to wear a chaplet 

 of its leaves, a custom which was adopted by 

 persons who sacrificed to him. Pliny gravely 

 states that the White Poplar, as well as several 

 other trees which he mentions, always turned its 

 leaves to an opposite quarter of the heavens 

 immediately that the summer solstice was past. 

 Though modern science has not confirmed this 

 observation, the tree may frequently be noticed 

 turning up the white surface of its leaves during 

 the hufiling winds which we often experience 

 in summer, and this is a pretty sure indication 

 of approaching rain.* 



* ** I think there will be rain," a little girl was overheard to say, 

 " for the weather tree is showing its white lining." 



