^ I ^HE Lombardy Poplar is one of the 
most interesting trees cultivated by 
man. It was formerly believed to have 
originated in Lombardy many hundreds 
of years ago in some specimen that as¬ 
sumed the peculiar manner of growth that 
characterizes the tree, but during recent 
years the species is said to have been found 
growing wild in Afghanistan high up in 
the mountains. It is an interesting fact 
that all of the Lombardy Poplar trees 
which have been grown by man have borne 
only pollen-bearing blossoms, so that the 
species has been reproduced by cuttings 
or suckers exclusively, no seed being pos¬ 
sible under existing conditions. If the species 
does grow wild in its native home it ought to 
be possible to introduce seed-bearing trees. 
1 he vertical habit of growth of the branches 
of the Lombardy Poplar at once distin¬ 
guishes the tree from all others. The leaf 
also is characteristic, being very broad for 
its length. The base is usually truncate 
or wedge-shaped and the apex is acutely 
pointed, while the margin of the blade is 
finely crenulate or serrate. The buds are 
small and vertically pointed, the flower buds 
developing very early in spring into pollen¬ 
bearing catkins and the leaf buds pushing 
out a little later their young leaves of a 
rich yellow-green color. The petioles are 
appressed but rather strong, holding the 
leaves firmly in their general position but 
allowing them to move freely from side 
to side in the wind. In consequence the 
blades are constantly shifting in unison, 
the observation of which fact led Leigh 
Hunt to write: 
‘ ‘ The poplar shoot 
Which like a feather waves from head to foot.” 
There has been much discussion con¬ 
cerning the place of the Lombardy Poplar 
in landscape gardening. In former times 
it was planted everywhere as an ornamental 
tree. Somewhat later it suffered from a reac¬ 
tion, which led to its general neglect. At pres¬ 
ent the fact seems to be recognized that a tree 
with so distinctive a character may be of ines¬ 
timable value in some parts of a landscape pic¬ 
ture while in other parts it may be worse than 
useless. It is easily propagated by cuttings 
of the branches and grows very rapidly. 
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