11)12.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 69 



A NOTABLE ELM TREE. 



G. E. STONE. 



The American elm, as found growing in New England, is 

 a tree unsurpassed in grace and beauty. It reaches its highest 

 state of perfection in the river valleys where the soil conditions 

 are well suited to its growth, and especially in the Connecticut 

 valley, where the soil is largely composed of very fine sand 

 and silt, and has considerable water-retaining capacity. The 

 elm, however, will grow in very moist soil, although requiring 

 for its best development a well-drained surface soil. While it 

 makes good growth in almost any type of Connecticut valley 

 soil, it reaches its best development in a soil in which coarse 

 silt predominates rather than very fine sand. Our many years' 

 observations on the elm have convinced us that it is quite 

 susceptible to soil texture, and its freedom from various 

 troubles is equally marked when growing under ideal condi- 

 tions. 



A somewhat notable elm growing near the college was re- 

 cently cut down, and the opportunity was taken advantage of to 

 make careful observations in regard to its age and gTOwth. 

 This tree is illustrated in the third edition of Emerson's '' Trees 

 and Shrubs of Massachusetts," published in 1878, and was at 

 that time considered an exceptionally large and symmetrical 

 tree. At the time of its removal, in 1911, it had lost none of its 

 beauty and symmetry. 



Measurements of the tree after it was cut down showed it 

 to be 19 feet in circumference 1 foot above the ground; 17 

 feet 4 feet from the ground, and 8 feet above the ground, at 

 a point just below the larger branches, it measured 21 feet 

 7 inches. Fourteen feet from the ground it measured 25 feet 

 5 inches. 



