CHAP. Cl. ULMA CE. U’LMUS. 1379 
L’Orme a petites Feuilles, l’Orme mdle, U’Orme pyramidal, the small-leaved Elm, which 
always grows erect, with the branches close to the trunk. 
L’ Orme a tres-grandes Feuilles, VOrme femelle, VOrme de Trianon, the large-leaved Elm, 
the branches of which spread horizontally. This elm, says Du Hamel, branches much, 
and furnishes kneed timber, which is very useful to the wheelwright. Its wood, how- 
ever, is not so strong as that of the twisted elm. 
L’Orme de Hollande @ grandes Feuilles panachées, the variegated Dutch Elm, has broad 
variegated leaves, 
L’Orme tortillard, ? U. tortudsa Lodd. Cat. (see p. 1376.), the twisted Elm.—This is a very dis- 
tinct variety; and it is one which very frequently comes true from seed. Its leaves 
are of a very deep green, and about the middle size; its trunk is marked with alternate 
knots and hollows; and the fibres of its wood are all twisted and interlaced together. 
This kind of elm presents a very singular appearance when it becomes old, as a number 
of knots, or bosses, appear to surround its trunk. It produces but few seeds, and some 
years none at all. Its seeds are, also, much smaller than those of the common elm. It is 
the best of all the varieties for the use of wheelwrights ; and particularly for the spokes 
of wheels. This elm is very much cultivated in France, at Varennes, in the nurseries 
near Meaux, and at Amiens. On the road from Meaux to Paris, there is a great 
number of these trees. Michaux mentions the twisted elm in his North American 
Sylva, 3. p. 96,, and strongly recommends it to both English and American planters. 
Description, $c. The common English elm is, perhaps, more frequently to 
be found in the parks and pleasure-grounds of the English nobility and gentry, 
than any other tree, except the oak. It is of a tall upright habit of growth, 
with a straight trunk, 4ft. or 5 ft. in diameter when fully grown, and attaining 
the height of 60 ft. or 70 ft. or upwards. It has rather slender branches, 
which are densely clothed with small deep green leaves, somewhat shining on 
the upper surface, though rough to the touch. These leaves are broad in the 
middle, and contracted towards each end; being, like those of all the other 
species of elms, unequal at the base, and doubly dentated; and having a 
strongly marked midrib, with other equally prominent lateral ribs proceeding 
from it on each side. The colour of the flowers, which appear before the 
leaves, varies from a dark red to a dull purple. According to Evelyn, the 
common elm will produce a load of timber in about 40 years: it does not, 
however, cease growing, if planted in a favourable situation, neither too dry 
nor too moist, till it is 100 or 150 years old ; and it will live several centuries. 
Young trees, in the climate of London, will attain the height of 25 ft. or 
30 ft. in ten years, of which there are living proofs in the London Horti- 
cultural Society’s Garden. According to Dr. Walker (Nat. Hist., p.72.), the 
English elm, when planted beside the Scotch elm, grows much faster, and 
produces a greater quantity of timber in the same space of time; though that 
timber is inferior in colour, hardness, and durability. 
Geography. The small-leaved elm is a native of the middle and south of 
Europe, the west of Asia, and Barbary. In France and Spain, it is found in 
great abundance; and many botanists consider it a native of England. If not 
truly indigenous, it appears to have been introduced at a very early period, 
probably by the Romans, and to have been propagated by art; for, as Pliny 
observes, it seldom bears seeds to any considerable extent. According to 
Sir J. E. Smith, it is found wild in woods and hedges in the southern parts 
of England, particularly in the New Forest, Hampshire, and in Sussex and 
Norfolk. (See Eng. F/., ii. p. 20.) 
History. The common field elm was known to the ancient Greeks, as it 
appears evident from Pliny mentioning that the Greeks had two distinct kinds, 
one inhabiting the mountains, and the other the plains. The Romans, Pliny 
adds, had four kinds; the mountain, or tall, elm (U‘lmus Atfnia, our U. 
campéstris ) ; the Gaulic elm ; the elm of Italy, which had its leaves in tufts; and 
the wild elm, The elm was scarcely known, as an ornamental tree, in France, 
till the time of Francis I. ; and it appears to have been first planted there to 
adorn public walks, about 1540. (See Dict. des Eaux et Foréts, ii. p.453.) It 
was afterwards planted largely, particularly in churchyards, by Sully, in the 
reign of Henry 1V.; and, by desire of that king, who, according to Evelyn, 
expressed a wish to have all the highways in France planted with it, it soon 
became the tree most generally used for promenades and hedgerows. Many 
old trees existed at the period of the first French revolution, which were 
called Sully or Rosni, and Henri Quatre ; names that had been given to them 
apparently to commemorate their illustrious planters. Bose states that he 
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