POPLAR

From Agepedia

POPLAR (populus); a genus of plants belonging to the amentacea and to the diozcia octandria of Linnaeus. The species are trees often of large dimensions, having their buds usually covered with an aromatic and viscous substance; their flow22 * ers disposed in aments, and always appearing before the developement of the leaves; and these last alternate, rounded or triangular, serrate or dentate, and supported on long petioles, which are more or less compressed, particularly towards their summits. This conformation occasions a peculiar vibratory motion in the leaves when they are acted upon by the wind, especially remarkable in certain species called aspens, which appear to be perpetually agitated. About twenty species are known, all confined to the northern and temperate regions of the globe. They are softwooded trees, of rapid growth. The following species inhabit the U. States: The Carolinian poplar (populus angulata) is remarkable for the acutely angular form of the young branches, and for having its buds destitute of the viscous coating. It is a southern species, and, in the Atlantic states, is hardly found north of latitude 37°, but is abundant along the marshy banks of the large rivers of Carolina and Georgia, and especially of the Lower Mississippi, and is even found on the Missouri for 100 miles above its mouth. It sometimes attains the height of eighty feet, with a proportional diameter, and a widespreading summit, clothed with beautiful foliage. The wood is white, soft, and is not applied to any useful purposes. The cottonwood (populus canadensis) inhabits more northern districts, and is chiefly abundant along the Upper Mississippi, the Missouri, and other western rivers, and often is the only tree which lines their banks in the vast naked regions of the northwest. In the Atlantic states, this tree is rare, and almost unknown. It grows to the height of eighty feet, with a trunk three or four in diameter : the branches are angular, though less remarkably so than in the preceding species, from which it is, besides, easily distinguished by the viscous buds: both are, however, frequently confounded under the term cottonwood, and are found growing in company on the banks of the middle portion of the Mississippi. The American black poplar (popidus betulifolia) JS rare, even in the northern parts of the U. States, and by Michaux was observed only on the banks of the Hudson above Albany: probably it will be found more abundant in Canada. It is distinguished by the hairiness of the young shoots and petioles in the spring, and by the form of the leaves, which are conspicuously acuminate. The trunk is thirty or forty feet highland about a foot in diameter. The populus heterophylla is found in most pansof the U. States, but is so rare as, in general, to have received no specific denomination. The trunk is sometimes seventy or eighty feet high, and two or three in diameter. The young branches are cylindrical ; the leaves, while very young, are covered with a thick white down, which gradually disappears as they attain their full size, when they are often six inches in length and the same in breadth, heartshaped, with the small lobes of the base overlapping, so as to conceal the summit of the petiole: by this character it is most easily recognised. The tacamahac, or balsam poplar (populus bcdsamifera), is a Canadian species, hardly venturing even into the coldest regions of the U. States. It is abundant in the country between Quebec and Hudson's bay, especially on the waters of the Saguenai, between lat. 47° and 49°, and extends westward beyond lake Superior. Here it frequently rises to the height of eighty feet, with a diameter of three at base. The leaves are oval and lanceolatean uncommon form among poplars. The wood is white, soft, and is applied to no useful purpose. The heartleaved balsam poplar, commonly, but improperly called balm of Gilead (populus candicans), is frequently planted before houses in the New England states, but has not hitherto been found growing wild in the forests, and its origin is uncertain. It attains the height of forty or fifty feet, with a diameter of eighteen or twenty inches. The bark is smooth and greenish ; and the leaves ,_/? large, perfectly heartshaped, and frequently have hairy petioles. This tree has darkgreen foliage, but the irregular disposition of the branches gives it an inelegant appearance; and it, besides, renders the vicinity unpleasant at the time when the seeds are ripening, by filling the air with little tufts of light down. The American aspen ' populus trepida) is a small tree, common in the Northern and Middle States. The leaves are broad, and somewhat heartshaped. It is one of the species most remarkable for the perpetual agitation of the leaves. The populus grandidentata is chiefly found in the Northern and Middle States, and rather exceeds the preceding in dimensions. It is readily distinguished from the other American species by the large teeth of the margin of the leaves. The narrowleaved cottonwood (populus angusti/olia) grows in company with the common cottonwood, which it resembles in size and habit, about the head waters of the Missouri and its tributaries. It is remarkable for the form of the leaves, which are ovatelanceolate, attenuate, and acute at base.Among the more remarkable of the exotic species are, 1. The great white poplar, or albele (populus alba), one of the largest European trees, often growing to the height of ninety or a hundred feet, by five or six in diameter at base. It is common along the banks of rivers, and in moist places, throughout the greater part of Europe. It forms a striking feature in the landscape, not only from the majesty of its appearance, but from the contrast of the two surfaces of the leaves, the green of the upper with the pure white of the inferior. The growth is very rapid, and it lives to a great age. The wood is white, light and soft, easily workr ed, and takes a good polish, and is employed for a great variety of purposes in the arts. It is superior to that of the other species in fineness and strength, gives a firmer hold to nails, and is not liable to warp and split. In England, it is preferred by turners for wooden bowls, &c, on account of its peculiar whiteness, and the ease with which it is worked in the lathe. It is also useful for flooringboards, and for making laths and packingboxes. This tree is recommended for cultivation in America by Michaux, especially to the states east of the Hudson. 2. The asp, or aspen (populus tremvla), is a tree of moderate size, the wood of which is inferior, but still is applied to many useful purposes. 3. The black poplar (populus nigra) is a lofty tree, found in most parts of Europe. The bark is light, like cork, and is sometimes used by fishermen for floating their nets. The timber is light and soft, but is in general little in request, though used by the turners for flooringboards, &c. 4. The Italian or Lombardy poplar (populus dilatata) is remarkable among trees for its peculiar mode of growth. The body of the tree is perfectly straight, and all the branches keep closely pressed around it, and take an upright direction. This tree seems to differ from the preceding chiefly in this peculiarity, and is, perhaps, only a variety. About eighty years ago, it was introduced from Italy into the other parts of Europe, and its cultivation spread with unprecedented rapidity: ornamental trees of eveiy description were rooted up to make way for it. This peupleomanie extended even to this country; and it is still but too common to see the noble productions of our own forest, which have perhaps been centuries in acquiring their growth, prostrated to make room for the Lombardy poplar In an economical point of view, it lias, Jideed, one advantagethat of affording little shade and taking up little room; and, whatever we may say, it has one peculiar beauty: most trees, when acted upon by the wind, are only partially agitated ; but this waves in a single sweep from top to bottom, like an ostrich feather, even with the slightest blast. In many parts of the U. States, the terra poplar is generally applied to the tulip tree. (See Tulip Tree.)