94 LIFE ON THE FARM. 



branches, most of the foliage is at the very top or 

 the tree. In very few cases are there leaves at 

 any other place. This is one of the features by 

 means of which the tree can be so easily distin- 

 guished. 



The leaves of the elm are arranged alternately, 

 are rather rough on both sides, and have a notched 

 or saw-toothed margin. The leaf can always be 

 told from the fact that one side is always a little 

 larger than the other. Strong side-ribs spring out 

 all along the midrib, terminating in the margin. 

 The leaf, as a whole, is strong and firm. 



The blossoms appear early in spring, and the 

 seeds mature before the leaves are fully developed. 

 A single tree bears an almost countless number of 

 seeds, from which young elms readily grow. 



The roots of the elm are long and fibrous. They 

 do not strike very deeply into the ground, but run 

 near the surface in great numbers. Since they 

 grow so near the surface and take up so much 

 moisture, very little other vegetation can thrive 

 near the tree; hence they require much room. 

 With old trees, the large roots strike out above the 

 ground for a few feet, giving the lower part of the 

 trunk a very uneven appearance. 



The American elm should be planted for its 

 beauty and shade. It is easy to start and very 

 hardy, growing vigorously for nearly a hundred 

 years. It is seldom attacked by insects; and its 

 branches, though graceful and pliant, are so tough 



