CHAP. CHI.

SALICA CEJE. PO'PULUS.

1675

the greater difficulty that is found in propagating it. The tree is wild in LowerCanada, more particularly between Quebec and Hudson’s Bay ; and in variousplaces between lat. 47° and 49°. It is not very common about Montreal; andis rare on the shores of Lake Champlain. In Franklin’s First Journey, it isstated, that it is found as far north as the Great Slave Lake ; and that Macken-zie River has been named Riviere aux Liards, from the abundance of the tree inthat quarter. It also constituted, Captain Franklin observes, “ the greatest partof the drift timber that we observed on the shores of the Arctic Sea. Its Creename is Matheh-metoos, which means the ugly poplar.” ( First Journey, &c. (p. 753.) The balsam poplar was first brought from Canada to the Island ofJersey, and propagated there. Six of these plants were sent to Caroline,consort to George II., in the year 1731, under the name of arbre de la reineOne of these was given by the queen to Sir Hans Sloane; and, being plantedin the Botamc Garden at Chelsea, it soon produced male catkins; but nofemale or hermaphrodite ones, till about the year 1760. This poplar wasintroduced into Scotland, according to Dr. Walker, in 1768, having beenraised in a nursery-ground at Leith, in that year, from seeds sent fromCanada. The wood of the tree is white and soft, and not used in the artsby the Canadians, according to Michaux; but Franklin observes that, thoughit burns badly, and gives little heat, when green, its ashes yield a largequantity of potash. The balsam from the buds used formerly to be sentfrom Canada, and other parts of North America, in shells, under the name ofbaume focot; having been collected from the trees in spring, when, in con-sequence of the heat, it is dissolved, and collects into drops on the points ofthe buds. It is of a smooth and even texture, and is soluble in spirits of wine.In Siberia, a medicated wine is prepared from the buds, which is diuretic, andconsidered serviceable in the scurvy. Pallas states that the grouse, andother birds of that family, that feed on the buds of this poplar during winter,have their flesh imbued with a grateful balsamic flavour. In Europe, the onlyapplication of this tree is to ornamental purposes ; and though, when it growsold and scrubby, it may merit the Cree name of “ ugly poplar,” yet, whenyoung, few trees can be compared with it in the beginning of summer, eitherfor the light rich yellow green of its foliage, or the fine balsamic odour whichproceeds from both the leaves and the buds. In scenery of limited extent,and when the round-headed trees and buildings are comparatively small, or ofmedium size, the balsam poplar may be used for the same purposes as theLombardy poplar. (Seep. 1663.) The balsam poplar is readily propagatedby suckers, which it sends up in abundance ; or by cuttings, which, however,do not strike so readily as those of the other poplars. It will grow in anysoil, but it prefers one moist and rich, and a sheltered situation.

Statistics. Recorded Trees. Near Edinburgh, in the pleasure-grounds of Craig Lockhart, a tree,planted in 1771, w r as, in 1798, 50 ft. high, and had a trunk 4 ft. in circumference at 4 ft. from theground. It was at that time considered the oldest and finest balsam poplar in Scotland. ( Walker'sEssays.)

Existing Trees. In England, in Bedfordshire, at South Hill, it'is 50 ft. high, the diameter of thetrunk 11 in., and of the head 26 ft.; in Hertfordshire, at Cheshunt, 6 years planted, it is 23 ft. high :in Monmouthshire, at Tredegar Park, 50 years old, it is 45 ft. high ; at Dowlais House, 15 years old,it is 20 ft. high : in Pembrokeshire, at Stackpole Court, 7 years planted, it is 20 ft. high ; in Stafford-shire, at Alton Towers, 4 years planted, it is 16 ft. high j in Yorkshire, at Hackress, 16 years planted,it is 14 ft. high. In Scotland, in the Experimental Garden, Inverleith, 9 years planted, it is 12 ft. high;in Banffshire, at Gordon Castle, it is 56 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 2 ft. 3 in.; in Clackman-nanshire, in the Garden of the Dollar Institution, it is 28 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 2£ ft, and ofthe head 10ft.; in Fifeshire, at Danibristle Park, 16 years planted, it is 40ft. high ; in Forfarshire,at Courtachy Castle, 18 years planted, it is 45 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 2 ft., and of the head7 ft; in Perthshire, in Messrs. Dickson and Turnbull’s Nursery, Perth, 26 years planted, it is 48 ft.high. In Ireland, in Galway, at Coole, it is 36ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 1 ft. In the Isleof Jersey, in Saunders’s Nursery, 10 years planted, it is 14 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 7 in.,and of the head 12 ft. In Bavaria, at Munich, in the English Garden, 25 years old, it is 20 ft. high,the diameter of the trunk 9 in., and of the head 8 ft.

Commercial Statistics. Plants, in the London nurseries, 4 ft. high, are8s. per hundred; and of the new sweet-scented variety, 10«. per hundred.At Bollwyller, plants are 1 franc each; and at New York, 20 cents each.