1902 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



This elm was first described by Goodyer, in Johnson's edition of Gerardes 

 Herball, 1478 (1633), as Ulmus minor folio angusto scabro. He says that he saw 

 it once, growing in hedgerows between Lymington and Christchurch, where it 

 has been lately found by Dr. Moss. There are specimens in the British Museum, 

 collected by Buddie and other early botanists ; but it has apparently escaped the 

 notice of later writers. So far as I know, it has never been cultivated in nurseries ; 

 and nearly all the trees which we have seen, grow in hedgerows and similar 

 situations, where they may be looked upon as indigenous. 



U. minor occurs on the Continent, as it is recorded by Reichenbach for 

 Hungary ; and there are specimens of it in the Haarlem herbarium from trees 

 growing in Holland ; but its distribution has not been worked out French, 

 German, and Russian botanists having paid little attention to the different kinds 

 of wild elms. 



This elm, which is of a remarkably distinct appearance, is common on the 

 Madingley road, Cambridge, where the trees grow, from which I have drawn up my 

 description. It is widely spread in the eastern counties, from Lincoln 1 through 

 Norfolk and Suffolk to Essex, and occurs also in Northamptonshire, Huntingdon- 

 shire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, and Hampshire. The usual habit of the tree is 

 well shown in a photograph, 2 taken by Mr. Druce, of a tree growing near Fine- 

 shade Abbey, Northamptonshire. He has also photographed 2 a tree near Banbury, 

 which is over 80 ft. in height. (A. H.) 



There are many elms of this variety in the eastern and midland counties, which 

 are readily known by their smaller leaves, inferior size, and irregular habit. They 

 are known sometimes in these districts as " lock " elms. 3 A great many elms on 

 the sandy land of west Norfolk are of this character, and, generally speaking, the 

 hedgerow elms of this county are very inferior in size and shape to those of Essex, 

 Herts, and the south generally. Similar trees grow in the hedges between 

 Grantham and Belvoir Castle. 



The finest specimen which we know of U. minor is a tree growing in the 

 park at Weston Birt (Plate 403), which was 97 ft. high and 7 ft. in girth in June 

 1 91 2. At Studley College, Warwickshire, there are about a dozen trees in a field, 

 which are 70 to 80 ft. high, the three largest being 9 ft. 4 in., 9 ft. 6 in., and 9 ft. 

 9 in. in girth. Mr. C. C. Rogers, who has kindly sent specimens, tells us of a tree 

 at Hagnaby Priory, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, nearly 90 ft. in height and 7 ft. 7 in. in 

 girth. (H. J. E.) 



1 Ley mentions a tree at Skellingthorpe in south Lincoln. 



2 Reproduced in Gard. Chron. 1. 408, figs. 165, 166 (191 1). 



s This name indicates the toughness of the wood of this elm, which is difficult to work with tools like the saw or plane, 

 which become "locked," as carpenters say. Sir J. E. Smith, Eng. Flora, ii. 20, 23 (1824), states that the wood of this 

 species ' ' is greatly preferred in Norfolk to any other, and sells for nearly double the price, serving more especially for the 

 naves of wheels." 



