CHAP. CHI.

fALICA CEJE. PO PULUS.

1653

abundance, have, as before observed(p. 1637.), a striking effect. The cap-sules of the female catkins are round ;and the seeds which they enclose areenveloped in a beautiful white cotton.

The seeds ripen in May, and are soondisseminated to a great distance by thewinds. The tree is of rapid growth,especially in good soil, in moist situ-ations, or on the banks of rivers. Inthe climate of London, it attains theheight of 30 ft. or 40 ft. in ten years;and, when planted for timber, arrivesat perfection in from forty to fiftyyears; beginning to decay when about sixty or eighty years old. It bearslopping ; and, when treated as a pollard, it produces abundance of shoots.In moist soil, when cut down to the ground annually, it, throws up numerousshoots, like willows ; and in that state, Bose observes, it has been consideredby some as a distinct species, and the name of P. viminea applied to it.

Geography, History, Sfc. P. nigra has nearly the same geographical rangeas P. alba ; but it is rather less common in the colder parts of Europe thanthat tree. It appears to have been known to the ancients, being mentionedboth by Theophrastus and Pliny. In modern times, it was first describedby Bauhin. Gerard mentions it as growing as high as the white poplar,“ and now and then higher.” Till about the beginning of the present century,it was the poplar most extensively introduced into British plantations; but ithas since given way, first to P. canadensis, and, subsequently, to the blackItalian poplar (P. monilffera). In the district of Waas, in Flanders, thewhole of which is distributed into small enclosures, not more than anacre and a half in extent, great quantities of black and white poplars areplanted in the hedgerows, 16 ft. or 18 ft. asunder. They are not sufferedto grow to any size, but are cut down every twenty or twenty-four years, andreplaced by young plants of the same sort. The largest trees are alwayscut down first, to prevent the land from being too much shaded. Fifty treesare allowed to an acre, and they are generally sold for seven or eight florins apiece, for making sabots, of which they not only send a prodigious quantityinto other provinces, but also supply all Holland. ( Young’s Annals, as quotedin Martyris Mill.)

Properties and Uses. In a natural state, the leaves and young shoots areeaten by cattle, and the wood by beavers. Artificially, the wood is appliedto all the different purposes of that of P. alba. Its most general use, onthe Continent, is for packing-cases, more especially for the transport ofbottled wines. The wood is yellow, soft, and, being more fibrous thanthat of any other species of poplar, it splits more readily than the wood ofeither P. alba or P. tremula. It weighs, in a green state, 60 lb. 9 oz. percubic foot; half-dry, 421b. 13oz.; and dry, 291b.: thus losing more thanone half its weight by drying; and it loses, by shrinking, more than a sixthof its bulk. It is more employed by joiners and cabinet-makers thanthe wood of P. tremula, because it is softer, and rather easier to work.The wood never splinters, and is incomparable, according to Evelyn, forall sorts of white wooden vessels, as trays, bowls, and other turner’s ware.It is used for making clogs, and for the soles, as well as heels, of shoes. Itis employed by the Cartwright; and Vitruvius reckons it among the buildingtimbers. Planted thick, and cut down for rafters, poles, and rails, fewtrees make a quicker return. It forms a very indifferent fuel, being inthis respect to the beech as 792 is to 1540. The only European treewhich is inferior to it as a fuel is the Lombardy poplar. The bark, in Russia,is used for preparing morocco leather; and, when it is pulverised, it is eatenby sheep. In Britain, it is used, like that of the oak, for tanning leather.

5 p 4