498 ULMUS CAMPESTEIS. 
roughness of age, few of its forest brethren, (though, properly speaking, it is not 
a forester,) excel it in grandeur and beauty. The elm is the first tree that salutes 
the early spring, with its light and cheerful green; a tint which contrasts agreea- 
bly with the oak, whose early leaf has generally more of the olive cast. We see 
them sometimes in fine harmony together, about the end of April and the begin- 
ning of May. We often, also, see the elm planted with the Scotch pine. In the 
spring, its light-green is very discordant with the gloomy hue of its companion ; 
but, as the year advances, the elm leaf takes a darker tint, and unites in har- 
mony with the pine. In autumn, also, the yellow leaf of the elm mixes as 
kindly with the orange of the beech, the ochre of the oak, and many of the other 
fading hues of the wood. ***** The elm throws out a beautiful 
bloom, in the form of a spicated ball, about the bigness of a nutmeg, of a dark- 
crimson colour. This bloom sometimes appears in such profusion as to thicken 
and enrich the spray exceedingly, even to the fulness almost of foliage. * * * 
* * The branch of the elm has neither the strength nor the various abrupt 
twistings of the oak ; nor does it shoot so much in horizontal directions. .Such, 
also, is the spray. It has a more regular appearance, not starting off at right- 
angles, but forming its shoots more acutely with the parent branch ; neither does 
the spray of the elm shoot, like the ash, in regular pairs from the same knot, but 
in a kind of alternacy. It has, generally, at first, a flat appearance ; but, as one 
year's shoot is added to another, it has not strength to support itself; and, as the 
tree grows old, it often becomes pendent also, like the ash ; whereas the tough- 
ness and strength of the oak enable it to stretch out its branches horizontally to 
the very last twig."* 
As an ornamental tree, the Ulmus campestris is employed both in Britain 
and on the continent, more especially in France and Holland, for lining avenues, 
and particular for public walks. For this purpose it is well adapted, from 
the comparative rapidity of its growth, the straightness of its trunk, the facility 
with which it bears lopping, the denseness of its foliage, its hardiness, and its i 
great longevity. 
* Forest Scenery. 
