. Handbook of the trees of the northern states and Canada east of the Rocky Mountains, photo-descriptive . Trees. Handbook of Teees of the Northern States and Canada. 103 The Balm of Gilead when in its prime is. a beautiful large Poplar, attaining the height of 70 or 80 ft. or more with broad and irregular spreading top, and trunk attaining a thickness of 3-6 ft., vested in a rather thick firmly ridged gray bark at base, while the upper trunk and branches are covered with a smooth yellowish brown bark. In a wild state it is a rare tree and apparently quite local in distribution, but from early
. Handbook of the trees of the northern states and Canada east of the Rocky Mountains, photo-descriptive . Trees. Handbook of Teees of the Northern States and Canada. 103 The Balm of Gilead when in its prime is. a beautiful large Poplar, attaining the height of 70 or 80 ft. or more with broad and irregular spreading top, and trunk attaining a thickness of 3-6 ft., vested in a rather thick firmly ridged gray bark at base, while the upper trunk and branches are covered with a smooth yellowish brown bark. In a wild state it is a rare tree and apparently quite local in distribution, but from early times it has been a favorite tree for shade, and being very hardy was planted abundantly in the dooryards of country liomes throughout the northern states and Canada. It is a beautiful object at first with its large parti-colored heart-shaped leaves con- stantly fluttering from the slightest breezes. Unfortunately it is a short-lived tree and early becomes decrepit. Then its dropping limbs make it unsightly and undesirable, but suckers generally spring up in abundance about it and eventually take its place, if allowed to do so, and in this way trees once planted continue to occupy the soil for a long time. The fra- grance of the sticky buds and new leaves of this tree is so marked as to be detected sometimes at some distance from the tree, and attracts the bees to it in abundance after the sticky varnish on its buds. This they gather, pack onto their thighs and carry away to seal the crevices of their hives — the material called propolis by the bee-keepers. I have observed that goose-berry and currant bushes planted beneath the branches of this tree are not molested by the destructive currant-worm, the emanations of the tree seeming to be distaste- ful or disastrous to them. According to Prof. L. H. Bailey, the Balm of Gilead was an im- portant lumber tree in the forests of Michigan in earl}' days. The wood is soft, light, a cubic foot weighing lbs. when absolutely dry
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