>-m^<^> 



SLIPPERY ELM (Bed Elm) 



{Ulmu^ fidva Michx.) 



•yUE slippery elm, or red elm, occurs sparingly in 

 the northern part of the State. It is found prin- 

 cipally on the banks of streams and on low hillsides 

 in rich soil. It is a tree of small to moderate size, 

 but noticeably wide-spreading. It is usually less 

 than 40 feet in height and 6 inches in diameter, 

 although trees of larger dimensions are occasionally 

 found. 



The bark on the trunk is frequently 1 inch thick. 



SLIPPERY ELiM 

 Twig, one-half natural size. 

 Leaf, one-third natural size. 



dark grayish brown, and broken by shallow fissures 

 into flat ridges. The inner bark is used to some ex- 

 tent for medicinal purposes, as it is fragrant and, 

 when chewed, affords a slippery, mucilaginous sub- 

 stance, whence the tree gets its name. 



The leaves are simple, alternate on the stem, 4 Lo 

 6 inches in length, sharp-pointed, their bases un- 

 symmetrical, doubly-toothed on the edges, thick, 

 dark green, and rough on both sides. 



The fruit consists of a seed surrounded by a thin, 

 broad, greenish wing, about one-half an inch in 

 diameter; the flowers appear in early spring and 

 the fruit ripens when the leaves are about half- 

 grown. 



The wood is close-grained, tough, strong, heavy, 

 hard, moderately durable in contact with the soil. 

 It is used for fence-posts, crossties, agricultural im- 

 plements, ribs for small boats and for some other 

 purposes. 



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