URTICACE^. 141 



In the early days of Christianity the hunters were accustomed to hang the skins of 

 tlie wolves they had killed in the chase on the elms in the churchyards as a kind of 

 trophy. The elm is generally propagated by the numerous suckers which arise from 

 around the trunk, and which readily grow and form good trees when separated from 

 the parent tree. 



The elm is subject to many diseases, and is liable to be attacked by various insects. 

 One, vulgarly called the elm-flea, devours the leaves, but is said not to injure the 

 tree. Another is a sort of beetle, which destroys not only the leaves, but the bark of 

 the tree, and a third is a species of cossus or goat moth, which is said to have destroyed 

 innumerable trees, particularly in the neighbourhood of Paris. It discharges from its 

 mouth an oily and acrid liquid, which is supposed to soften the wood before it devours 

 it. The liquid has a strong scent, like a goat, whence the English name of the insect 

 is derived. 



We have numerous records of old and stately elms, of trees of prodigious size and 

 beauty. Evelyn mentions elms standing in his time in good numbers, " that will bear 

 almost 3 feet square for more than 40 feet in height. Mine own hands," he adds, 

 " measured a table more than once of about 5 feet in breadth, 9^ feet in length, and 

 6 inches thick, all entire and clear. This, cut out of a tree felled by my father's order, 

 was made a pastry-board." Queen Elizabeth is said to have planted an elm at 

 Chelsea, which was cut down in 1745, and sold for a guinea by the Lord of the Manor, 

 Sir Hans Sloane, on account of its inconvenience to the public road, near which it 

 stood. A large hollow elm tree is said to have existed at Hampstead in 1653, which 

 was upwards of 42 feet high. It was hollow from the ground to the summit, and had 

 stairs inside, which led to a turret at the top, containing seats on which six persons 

 might sit. There are accounts existing of many other celebrated elms. The row of 

 trees in St. James's Park next the Palace are many of them 160 years old. Many of 

 them have been blown down since. Mr. Loudon writes : — " Mr. Jesse mentions an 

 elm tree in Hampton Court Park called King Charles's swing, which, he says ' is 

 curious from its size and shape. At 8 feet from the ground it measures 38 feet in 

 circumference.' " 



One of the elms standing at the entrance of the passage leading to Spring Gardens 

 was planted by the Duke of Gloucester, brother to Charles I. Mr. Loudon, whose 

 information on forest trees is most complete and exhaustive, gives us particulars and 

 details of many other very remarkable trees still existing, or very recently destroyed. 



SPECIES II.-U LMUS MONTANA. Sm. Aud. 



Plate MCCLXXXVII. 



Billut, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 1764. 



U. campestris, Linn. Herb. (!) Sp. PI. p. 327 (part). 



U. montana and U. stricta, Lind. Syn. Brit. Fl. p. 227.- 



U. campestris, var. o, nuda, Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et Helv. ed. ii. p. 734 (part). 



Leaves acuminate, doubly serrate. Flowers shortly stalked. Perianth 

 funnelshaped ; segments 4 to 6, ciliated. Fruit oval or elliptical, 

 notched at the apex, with the seed placed about the middle, and 

 remote from the apex of the wing. 



