1767-Jan.-28: The cultivation of the Italian Poplar (Peuplier d’Italie) was heavily promoted in France to address a severe national wood shortage.

1767-Jan.-28: The cultivation of the Italian Poplar (Peuplier d’Italie) was heavily promoted in France to address a severe national wood shortage. The tree was prized for its extraordinary growth rate, reportedly increasing by an inch every day, and its ability to thrive in barren mountain soil. Its leaves were utilized as cattle fodder, its branches provided fuel for heating, and its trunk was used for carpentry and ship masts. This agricultural innovation offered a solution for French provinces that feared for their future supply of essential construction and fuel materials.