Chapter VIII 



THE ELMS AND THE HACKBERRY 



Family Ulmaceae 



THE members of this family are found 

 in Europe, Asia, and North America. 

 Two genera, the elm ( Ulmus) and the 

 hackberry (Celtis), are found in the Northeast- 

 ern States. 



The elms are remarkable for the massive 

 strength of their trunk and limbs and for the 

 light delicacy of their small branches and twigs 

 as we see them against the sky in winter. The 

 American and English elms particularly are 

 really more beautiful in winter than in summer, 

 when the contrast between the little twigs and 

 the little branches is hidden by the leaves. The 

 elms are all long-lived trees and grow rapidly. 

 They bear transplanting and pruning better 

 than any other tree, and grow on almost any 

 kind of soil. If it were not for the attacks of 

 insects, to which the elms seem peculiarly lfable, 

 no trees would be more deserving of cultiva- 

 tion. Perhaps no other tree is so strongly 



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