oving twelve pence in growth, till they arrive to their
acme.

7. The black poplar grows rarely with us; it is a stronger and taller
tree than the white, the leaves more dark, and not so ample. Divers
stately ones of these, I remember about the banks of Po in Italy; which
flourishing near the old Eridanus (so celebrated by the poets) in which
the temerarious Phaeton is said to have been precipitated, doubtless
gave argument to that fiction of his sad sister's metamorphosis, and the
amber of their precious tears. It was whiles I was passing down that
river towards Ferrara, that I diverted my self with this story of the
ingenious poet. I am told there is a mountain-poplar much propagated in
Germany about Vienna, and in Bohemia, of which some trees have yielded
planks of a yard in breadth; why do we procure none of them?

8. The best use of the poplar, and _abele_ (which are all of them
hospitable trees, for any thing thrives under their shades) is for walks
and avenues about grounds which are situated low, and near the water,
till coming to be very old, they are apt to grow knurry, and out of
proportion. The timber is incomparable for all sorts of white wooden
vessels, as trays, bowls and other turners ware; and of especial use for
the bellows-maker, because it is almost of the nature of cork, and for
ship-pumps, though not very solid, yet very close, and yet light; so as
it may be us'd for the soles, as well as wooden-heels of shooes, &c.
Vitruvius _l. de Materia Caedenda_, reckons it among the
building-timbers, _quae maxime in aedificiis sunt idoneae_. Likewise to
make carts, because it is exceeding light; for vine, and hop-props, and
divers vimineous works. The loppings in January are for the fire; and
therefore such as have proper grounds, may with ease, and in short time,
store themselves for a considerable family, where fuel is dear: but the
truth is, it burns untowardly, and rather moulders away, than maintains
any solid heat. Of the twigs (with the leaves on) are made brooms. The
_brya_, or catkins attract the bees, as do also the leaves (especially
of the black) more tenacious of the meldews than most forest-trees, the
oak excepted.

Of the aspen, our wood-men make hoops, fire-wood, and coals, &c. and of
the bark of young trees, in some countries, it serves for candle or
torch-wood.

The juice of poplar leaves, dropp'd into the ears, asswages the pain;
and the buds contus'd, and mix'd with honey, is a good _c