324 DECIDUOUS TREES. 



enfolding one side of the shoots, very harsh and dark-colored, 

 and retain their color longer than most others. It is a peculiar 

 looking tree, of smaller size, as well as much more compact growth, 

 than the species. Probably more curious than pleasing. 



THE SMOOTH-LEAVED WYCH ELM. U. m. glabra. This is a 

 variety resembling our white elm in form, but not so broadly spread- 

 ing, and with smoother and smaller leaves. Of no superior value 

 except to complete collections of elms. What are known as the 

 Huntington, Downton, and Chichester elms, each of some English 

 local fame, are varieties of this sort, and would not probably have 

 any sufficiently marked character to recommend them to us. 



THE SCAMSTON ELM. Ulmus m. glabra. This is a compara- 

 tively new variety of weeping elm, and differs materially from the 

 pendulous Scotch elm, before described ; and from all the pendu- 

 lous forms of our native elms. The characteristic that distinguishes 

 it is a compact overlaying of its branches upon each other, and 

 their uniform downward tendency. Instead of a picturesque out- 

 line, it therefore forms a broad low top, quite similar, but on a 

 much larger scale, to that of the Kilmarnock willow. It is of rank 

 growth, often making shoots of a zigzag character from six to ten 

 feet long in a season. The leaves are very large, irregular, dark, 

 and glossy, and clothe the branches superbly. Sargent, in his Sup- 

 plement to Downing's Landscape Gardening, thus alludes to it: 

 "When grafted as it should be, fifteen to twenty feet high, the 

 branches make a curvilinear droop to the ground with a growth so 

 regular and symmetrical as to give the whole tree the appearance 

 of a gigantic arbor regularly trained and trimmed, and, by making 

 an arched opening on one side, it can be well used for this pur- 

 pose ; the thick umbrageous character of the leaves producing the 

 most agreeable and dense shade." It is a valuable addition to our 

 stock of gardenesque trees, such as are adapted to artificial treat- 

 ment for special purposes. Thrifty young elm trees of the common 

 sorts, if in locations where such a grand arbor as the kind Mr. 

 Sargent has above suggested would be useful, may be grafted all 

 over the top with the Scamston elm, and changed quickly into a 



