572 
THE LOMBARD!' POPLAR. 
A. spicata, Linnaeus. — Black Bane-ber- 
ries, or Herb Christopher. Leaves bi- or 
tri-ternate; leaflets oblong or ovate; deeply 
cut and serrated ; raceme simple, elon- 
gated ; petals as long as the stamens, 
berries oval. A herbaceous perennial, with 
short, creeping, underground stems. The. 
above-ground stems are erect, from one to two 
feet high, scarcely branched, and leafy. The 
flowers are in a dense, terminal, oblong simple 
raceme, consisting of four oblong white petals. 
The fruit is an oval, purplish-black juicy 
berry. Flowers in May and June. Found 
in mountainous limestone tracts in the north. 
The berries of the plant are said to possess 
expectorant and antispasmodic qualities ; they 
have, as well as the whole plant, a fetid nau- 
seous odour, and have the general reputation 
of being poisonous. 
THE LOMBARDY POPLAR. 
A beautiful and lofty growing tree, soon 
attaining to maturity, and consequently much 
prized wherever shelter is required. This trait 
in its character recommends it also to all who 
are anxious for immediate effect, by raising 
around their residences that venerable air which 
hard-wooded trees are so slow in producing. It 
grows in its greatest beauty when planted in 
rich damp soil, near to running streams ; but 
it will grow tolerably on any soil, though in 
exposed and dry situations its leaves soon be- 
come unsightly, and fall off. On the plains of 
Persia, its native country, travellers represent 
it as reaching a noble altitude, and conferring 
dignity on situations which are in themselves 
of common-place character. It is a tree, in 
short, which is interesting both to the eye and 
ear. For my part, I think it is delightful to 
hear it awakening itself to the slightest breeze 
that may be abroad in summer-time, relieving 
the scene from that checked and lifeless-like 
appearance which it would otherwise have 
during still weather. Gilpin argues otherwise, 
and says, that " when the gentle breeze, press- 
ing upon the quivering poplar, bends it only 
in easy motion, while a serene sky indicates 
the heavens to be at peace, there is nothing 
to act in concert with the motion of the tree ; 
it seems to have taken its form from the in- 
fluence of a sea air, or some other malign 
impression ; and, contracting an unnatural 
appearance, disgusts." 
Several other writers express an unfavour- 
able opinion of this tree. Cobbett considers 
it "a great ugly tree ;" Sang coincides in this 
opinion ; and in Prince Piickler Muskau's 
estimation, it is "too fluttering." It is not 
unlikely that some of the objections to this 
tree, as a landscape ornament, apply to the in- 
judicious mode in which it is so often planted. 
In its growth, the Lombardy poplar preserves 
a great uniformity of character, and conse- 
quently it is apt to offend wherever a con- 
tinued repetition takes place. As a landscape 
ornament, however, this tree, in itself, is one 
of the most interesting and useful sylvan ob- 
jects suited to the climate of Britain. Con- 
trasted with the generality of trees, which are 
round-headed, it has that admirable effect 
which we almost invariably find copied in 
paintings of rural and sylvan scenes ; and it 
may be safely asserted that no other tree per- 
forms the same office when grouped with 
buildings. At the same time, it is to be ob- 
served, that in many parts of England, and 
especially around the metropolis, it has been 
allowed to remain in too great profusion. The 
fact seems to be that, being a fast-growin" 
tree, it is eagerly sought by all who wish im- 
mediate shelter to their residences ; and after 
having attained to maturity, it is with the 
greatest reluctance any proprietor thinks of 
felling it. 
One of the most pleasing traits connected 
with the poplar is its fitness to be planted in 
towns and cities. It occupies little space ; 
obstructs not the light ; has little or no drop- 
ping of water from its branches during wet 
weather ; raises a rustling noise overhead, pro- 
claiming the coming storm ; is a resort for 
singing-birds ; and is generally esteemed as 
exhibiting, close to our windows, the changeful 
picture of the seasons. How is it, then, that such 
a dearth of verdure should prevail in so many 
towns ? Though this question must be left 
to be decided by others, it must be confessed 
that it would be interesting to find out the 
cause which leads the inhabitants of a certain 
town, as with one consent, to ornament their 
dwellings with trees and shrubs; whilst the 
populace of another seem to delight in the 
bare and burnt-up appearance of bricks. A 
journey over England affords many a striking 
contrast in this respect. Birmingham, for 
instance, may be pronounced to be without 
trees ; whilst Lichfield, not far distant, is 
crowned with verdure. In the east of Eng- 
land it is the same : Norwich seems to have 
been built in a garden or arboretum ; whilst 
Lynn, a town which Nature has done much 
for, appears to be in this respect far behind 
the age, for it has no trees waving high over 
its buildings. 
Though evergreens, on account of their 
dense and sombre aspect, will always be pre- 
ferred for churchyard ornaments, yet there is 
no reason why the poplar should not be intro- 
duced, if sparingly planted, in our cemeteries; 
more especially until others, better suited, 
attain to a proper size. In short, wherever 
other trees are planted, the poplar is required 
to correct the monotonous expression of ro- 
