Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 547 



size. Sir Joseph Hooker records the height of a tree at 125 feet, 

 with a stem-circumference of 50 feet. An Elm at Uffculme attained 

 a stem measuring 25 feet at its greatest girth, and a total height of 

 120 feet [Dr. M. T. Masters]. Grew at St, Vincent's Gulf in 30 

 years to a height of about 66 feet [R. B. Smith]. Will still live on 

 somewhat saline soil. One of the trees that are most easily propa- 

 gated and most readily reared. In Britain it has been occasionally 

 attacked by Scolytus destructor, and irrespective of this beetle, also 

 by the Goat-moth, Cossus ligniperda, both boring into the stem. 

 Latreille already recommended, to catch the larvae of these borers by 

 surrounding the stem-base with a mixture of clay and cow-dung. A 

 coating of coal-tar to the affected portions of the stem has lately 

 been recommended. The wood is tough, hard, fine-grained and 

 remarkably durable, if constantly under water. Next to yew it is 

 the best of European woods, where great elasticity is required, as for 

 archery -bows. It is also used for keels, blocks, wheels, piles, pumps, 

 gun- and railway-carriages, gunwales, mill-work, various tools and 

 implements ; also for coffins. Elm-piles of the old London-Bridge 

 were found to be in a sound condition after being in the ground for 

 800 years. The Wych-Elm (U. montana, Withering) grows still 

 further north than the Cork-Elm (U. suberosa, Moench), in Norway to 

 lat. 66 59' ; even in lat. 59 45' Professor Schuebeler found a tree still 

 over 100 feet high, with a stem 4 feet in diameter. The wood of the 

 Wych-Elm is preferred for bending purposes [Eassie]. The bast is 

 tough. The average growth at Port Phillip proved 40 feet in 25 

 years, but in very favorable situations considerably more. Here 

 almost as long without leaves as in colder climes. De Candolle esti- 

 mated a particular aged elm in France to be 335 years old. 



Ulmus crassifolia, Nuttall. 



The Evergreen Elm of Mexico, Arkansas and Texas. A tree 

 fully 90 feet high and 2 feet in stem-diameter. 



TJlmus fulva, Michaux. 



The Slippery or Red Elm of Eastern North-America. Reaching 

 a height of about 60 feet. Splendid for street-planting. There is 

 a pendent-branched variety. Wood red, tenacious, useful for waggon- 

 hubs and wheels [Vasey]. Regarded as the best North- American 

 wood for blocks of rigging, according to Simmonds. The leaves seem 

 available as food for the larvae of the silkmoth ; the bark is employed 

 in medicine. Rate of growth, little more than half that of the White 

 Elm [Furnas], 



Ulmus Mexicana, Planchon. 



Cordilleras of South- Western North- America. This elm attains 

 a height of 60 feet or perhaps more. Many of these elms are avail- 

 able as quick -growing avenue-trees for shade-lines. 



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