THE ELM. 77 



hard and dry, or juicy and tempting, this portion of 

 the plant's produce is still the "fruit," and, made 

 thus comprehensive, the term becomes an exceed- 

 ingly convenient one. The peculiarity of the leaves 

 is that the two sides, or the portions separated by 

 the midrib, are not only of two different sizes, as 

 happens in the beech, but that the bases of the two 

 sides spring from different points. A few examples 

 of similar structure occur in other families of plants, 

 but it is nowhere so conspicuous as in the elm. 

 The lateral veins proceed in straight and parallel 

 lines (sometimes forking a little), right away to the 

 margin, as in trees of the oak-tribe; the margins 

 are deeply and sharply serrated, and the apex runs 

 out to a fine point. Sometimes there is a second 

 projection, which is thrown to one side, making it 

 appear as if we had a leaf and a half combined 

 into a single blade. Ordinarily, the surface is rough, 

 though in some varieties quite smooth ; in autumn 

 the whole substance changes to a uniform though 

 rather subdued yellow, and for some time, during 

 the year's tranquil evening, bathed in the beautiful 

 light of the declining sun, the tree presents a cheerful 

 though never a gorgeous spectacle. 



It is early in spring, when the elm is in flower, 

 that the eye is most attracted to its botanical traits. 

 Often as early as Lent, and certainly by April, the 

 twigs seem covered with hard black knots, some- 

 thing like ill-strung beads. Presently, in calm fore- 



