THE AMERICAN ELM. 87 



one story in the rear, and their general homely appear- 

 ance, reminding us of the simplicity of life that char- 

 acterized our people before the Eevolution. Their very 

 homeliness is attractive, by leaving the imagination free 

 to dwell upon their interesting suggestions. Not many 

 of these venerable houses are now extant ; but whenever 

 we see one, it is almost invariably accompanied by its 

 Elm, standing upon the green open space that slopes 

 down from it in front, waving its long branches in melan- 

 choly grandeur above the old homestead, and drooping, 

 as with sorrow, over the infirmities of its old companion 

 of a century. 



Early in April the Elm puts forth its flowers, of a dark 

 maroon color, in numerous clusters, fringing the long ter- 

 minal spray, and filling up the whole space so effectually 

 that the branches can hardly be seen; they appear at 

 the same time with the crimson flowers of the red maple, 

 and give the tree a very sombre appearance. The seeds 

 ripen early, and being small and chaffy are wafted in all 

 directions and carried to great distances by the wind. In 

 the early part of June, soon after the leaves are expanded, 

 the Elm displays the most beauty. At this time only can 

 its verdure be considered brilliant : for the leaf soon fades 

 to a dull green, and displays no tints, except that of a 

 rusty yellow in the autumn. In perfectly healthy elms, 

 standing on a deep soil, the brightness of the foliage is 

 retained to a later period ; but the trees near Boston 

 have suffered so much from the ravages of the canker- 

 worm that their health is injured, and their want of 

 vitality is shown by the premature fading and dropping 

 of their foliage. 



Nothing can exceed the American Elm in a certain 

 harmonious combination of sturdiness and grace, two 

 qualities which are seldom united. Along with its supe- 

 rior magnitude, we observe a great length and slenderness 



