298 THE ELMS 



resistance to being split are required. It is also largely 

 used for wheelbarrow bottoms and for cheap furniture, but 

 the greatest demand for it is for light cooperage, for both 

 staves and hoops. For a time it was looked upon as the 

 only wood suitable for that purpose, but its rapid exhaus- 

 tion has forced coopers to seek and use other woods ; it 

 still stands at the head of the list in adaptability for 

 such use. 



It cannot be depended upon to sprout from the stump, 

 and consequently its propagation must come from seed, 

 which is not at all difficult. The tree blossoms in early 

 spring and before the leaves appear. It matures its seed 

 late in May or early in June before the leaves are full grown, 

 and the seed should be at once gathered and sown. The 

 seeds are surrounded with a thin film or continuous wing, 

 and, being light, are blown a long distance by the wind. 

 The seed-bed should be a sandy soil, or one which will not 

 crust over after a rain, the seeds sown in drills seven or 

 eight inches apart, and, as not all seeds are fertile, from 

 one half to one inch apart in the row. An abundance of 

 moisture is requisite for good germination and growth of 

 seedlings. They should attain a height of eight to twelve 

 inches the first year, and can then be transplanted into the 

 forest any time thereafter, although, if to be set out among 

 bushes, it would be best to let them remain in the beds for 

 another year, when they will frequently reach thirty inches 

 in height. They are blessed with a large number of fibrous 

 roots, and if reasonable care is taken in transplanting not 

 three per cent should be lost. It is a comparatively shallow- 

 rooted tree, and when mature throws its roots out to a great 

 distance, as may be frequently seen along stream banl 

 where they have been exposed. The sap pores in the root 

 are very large, frequent, and continuous. Water can 

 easily forced through them for several feet. 



In order to grow valuable lumber, the tree must 

 crowded in early life to prevent its throwing out limbs lo\ 

 down, one or more of these frequently putting forth efforts 



