WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



383 



POPULUS DELTOIDES, Marsh. Cottonwood. 



Geographic Distribution. 



Banks of streams, often toiming extensive open groves; 

 Province of Quebeck and ttie sliores of Lake Champlain, 

 through western New England and New York, Pennsylvania 

 west of the Alleghany mountains, and the Atlantic states south 

 of the Potomac river to western Florida, and westward to the 

 base of the Rocky mountains, from southern Alberta to north- 

 ern New Mexico. * * * Comparati\ ely rare and of smaller 

 size in the east and in the coast region of the south Atlantic 

 and east Gulf states, and the largest and one of the most 

 abundant trees along the streams between the Appalacnian and 

 the Rocky Mountains, making their course over the midcon- 

 tinental plateau to the extreme limit of tree-growth, and grow- 

 ing to its largest size as far west as the 100th meridian. 



Distribution in West Virginia. — Infrequent. Found on the 

 South Branch of Potomac near Romney, Hampshire coun- 

 ty; and near Petersburg on the South Branch and on 

 Lunice creek, in Grant county. 



Wood. — Brownish, with white sapwood, difficult to season. 



Uses. — Not now important in AVest Virginia. Wood used for 

 various purposes, including interior finish, boxes, furni- 

 ture, cooperage, and wagon beds. Frequently planted as a 

 shade tree. 



SALIX NIGRA, Marsh. Black Willow. 



Geographic Distribution. 



Low moist alluvial banks of streams and lakes; southern New 

 Brunswick and the northern shores of Lake Huron and Superior 

 to southern Florida, and to eastern Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas 

 and the Indian Territory; through western Texas, southern New 

 Mexico and Arizona, and southward in Mexico; along the west- 

 ern foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and northward in western 

 California to the valley of the Sacramento river and the eastern 

 base of the Coast Range in Caloosa county; the largest and most 

 conspicuous willow of eastern North America; most abundant in 

 the basin of the Mississippi river, and of its largest size in 

 southern Indiana and Illinois and in the valley of the lower 

 Colorado river in Texas; rare in California. 



Distribution in West Virginia. — An abundant tree along streams 

 throughout the State. Most common in the lower counties 

 but found to some extent in almost every locality. 



Wood. — Soft, light, not durable. 



