CHAP. CHI.

■SALICa'cEAE. po'pulus.

1659

Properties and Uses, Soil, Propagation, fyc. The wood may be applied tothe same purposes as that of the species previously described; but, being oflarger dimensions, it may be considered as better fitted for being used in build-ings. Pontey observes that the tree is not only an astonishingly quick grower,but that its stem is remarkably straight; and that, with very trifling attentionto side pruning, it may be kept clear of branches to any required height. Forthese reasons, he considers it the most profitable of all trees to plant in massesin a fertile soil, rather moist. Sir J. E. Smith describes the tree as veryhardy in Britain , and valuable for planting in exposed situations, or on poorsandy soil; but he adds that the female tree is objectionable, the down ofthe seeds being a great nuisance, particularly near houses; as it sticks toclothes and furniture in a most troublesome manner. Hence, the maletrees should be selected, not only for planting near a house, but whereverornament is the main object; as the flowers, which are of a deep red, andproduced in great abundance, are as ornamental as those of P. nigra; whilethe female flowers of both species are comparatively inconspicuous, and theseeds alike cottony and troublesome. Were every cottager to grow his ownfuel, there is, perhaps, no tree that would succeed so well for that purpose,on a small spot of ground, as P. monilifera. (See Gard. Mag., vol. vi.p. 146.) Cuttings of the black Italian poplar root more freely than thoseof the Canadian poplar; and this, indeed, constitutes, in our opinion, oneof the most important differences between the two trees. The caterpillarsof one of the bombycideous moths, belonging to the genus Ceriira, and re-garded (correctly?) by Sir J. E. Smith as identical with the English C.fureula, the kitten moth, (Abb. and Smith , Ins. of Georgia, t. 71., and ourfig. 1518.) feed on this poplar, both in America and Europe . The cater-

pillar (a), which is green and brown, when disturbed, shoots out of the end ofits forked tail two soft orange-coloured threads. Early in August, havingecome much larger (b), it sheds its skin, and turns green striped with white,a a few days, it encloses itself in a case made of chips of the wood (c),attaches to a branch, and which looks somewhat like a slug, out ofw ich the moth (d) makes its escape at one end.

Rk'7'., Recorded Trees. Mr. Pontey, in 1813, measured a tree growing in the garden of Mr.and ronr-c ■ °t Huddersfield , which had been then planted 25 years, and found it 60 ft. high,suhsnil ,;; " rig ^ cu hic feet of good timber. The soil was light, and only about 1 ft. deep, on ain vprv w c . oar . s , e 8 rav el. Mr. Pontey also measured another tree at Huddersfield , planted by himselfner 4th j., 01 I, 19 years before, which was 64 ft. high, and contained 34 ft. of timber. ( Forest Pru-Plantp. e .’.b , ■! Bose, in 1822, mentions a superb avenue of these trees in the Jardin des

Skr v hey \ ave sincc been cut down.

headQstv . (xt in England, at Syon, it is 102 ft, high, diameter of the trunk 4 ft. 5 in., and of the68 ft - at vi, i I, m House, Essex, it is 100 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 3 ft. 8 in., and of the headof the heart soir ous . e > Twickenham, 60 years old, it is 80 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 18 in., andshire at Main V, in Devonshire , at Bystock Park, 12 years planted, it is 40 ft. high j in Dorset-head’oRft e j ury Park, 23 years planted, it is 66 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 7 in,, and of theSotnerseOrhi. 111 . ntPslnre, at Strathfieldsaye, it is 108 ft. high, with a trunk 5 ft. in diameter ; in7 in., and nr u ^otrleoornbe, ‘3 years planted, it is 54 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 1 ft.at Eaton Hall rv ad 21 ft - ’ in ‘Surrey , at Bagshot Park, 22 years old, it is 35 ft. high , ill Cheshire,it is 55 ft hilh . ! ea l s Planted, it is 50 ft. high ; in Denbighshire, at Llanbede Hall, 20 years planted,gn ; m Lancashire , at Latham House, 28 years planted, it is 77 ft. high, the diameter