272 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



in racemes one to two inches long, and composed of several 

 clusters of two to four flowers together: it may be distin- 

 guished also from the common American elm, at all seasons 

 of the year, by the thick corky ridges which extend along 

 the young branches. The wood, too, will be found to be 

 very dissimilar from that of the American elm. Its specific 

 gravity is .832, while that of American elm is but .649, or 

 twenty-two per cent lighter. It is almost as heavy as the 

 best eastern hickory, four per cent heavier than the best San 

 Domingo mahogany,^ and twenty-six per cent heavier than 

 second-growth eastern white oak. 



The wood is' fine grained, compact, and shows but little of 

 that inclination to splinter which renders the wood of the 

 American elm unfit for many purposes of construction. The 

 heart-wood, which is buff in color with reddish tints, is sus- 

 ceptible of high polish, and is warm and agreeable in tone. 

 Architects and cabinet-makers to whom specimens have been 

 submitted speak of it with .unqualified praise for furniture- 

 making and interior decoration, for which purposes its hard- 

 ness, strengtli, and beauty seem to particularly adapt it. 



The wood of this tree is unknown in the eastern markets. 

 But considerable quantities of what is called Canada rock 

 elm are annually exported into Great Britain from Canada ; 

 but, judging from the descriptions of it, I am inclined to 

 think that this is nothing but American elm, or perhaps a 

 mixture of the two, as lumbermen do not well distinguish 

 this species, calling all elm grown on high and rather dry 

 land " rock elm," and all that is produced along the river-banks 

 and in damp situations, " bastard elm." 



Although still unknown in the east, the wood of Uhmcs 

 racemosa is highly valued in those portions of the Western 

 States where it is abundant enough to form an article of 

 commerce. It is very largely employed in the manufacture 

 of heavy agricultural implements, such as ploughs, mowing 

 and threshing machines, and similar articles, in the construc- 

 tion of which the best white oak is used in the east. In spite 

 of its weight and strength, this wood is very flexible, and, 

 when properly seasoned, retains any shape into which it has 



1 Messrs. Holt and Bugbee, dealers in mahogany and other hard-woods, 173 

 Friend Street, Boston, have kindly supplied me with specimens of mahogany 

 and other woods, for the purpose of carrying out these investigations. 



