X. 1. THE AMERICAN ELM. 293 



throws up a prodigious weight of branches, twelve, each equal 

 to a tree, — forming a broad, one-sided head. At five feet from 

 the ground, which is the smallest place, its girth is twenty-two 

 feet two inches ; at seven, it is twenty-two feet nine inches ; 

 at one and a half on one side, three on the other, twenty- 

 nine feet nine inches; at three, twenty-four feet nine inches. 

 Below, one and a half or three, the roots bulge out. The first 

 large branch, which has a girth of eleven feet two inches, divides 

 into two. The second, thirteen feet ten inches in girth, divides 

 into five branches. The horizontal extent of the southeast 

 branch, is sixty-nine feet one inch. It is a very old tree and 

 falling into decay, but still vigorous and clothed with a rich, 

 dark colored foliage. Its uncommon growth is, doubtless, owing 

 to its peculiar situation. A small perennial stream flows near 

 it, and its most vigorous limbs are stretched so as to overshadow, 

 for many feet, the little fertile glade through which it flows. 

 It is also near a farmer's yard, the animals belonging to which 

 are often standing by day or lying by night, under the covert of 

 its branches. It has, to visiters, the additional recommendation 

 of being on the farm of a worthy magistrate, who knows how 

 to respect the curiosity of those who visit it. 



Some of these trees are still in apparent vigor, though nearly 

 two hundred years old. It is found, however, on cutting down 

 old elms, that they are, almost universally, hollow at base. 

 Whether this is the case in the rich, deep soils of the western 

 valleys, I know not. In the scanty soils of Massachusetts, it 

 may proceed from the fact, that all the nutriment near the bot- 

 tom of the tree, where the roots are fed that nourish the heart, 

 is exhausted. 



Besides its use as a shade and ornamental tree, its timber is 

 employed for several important purposes in the arts. Its wood 

 is preferred to any native wood for hubs of wheels. In Boston 

 and the vicinity, the hubs for the very superior gigs, light 

 wagons, and other pleasure carriages, which are manufactured 

 there, are almost universally made of it. For this purpose, it 

 is obtained from the towns within a few miles in the neighbor- 

 hood. The same use is made of it in the centre and western 

 parts of the State. Yokes are made of it. In the sea-port 



