THE OTHER HARDWOODS 149 



the soil of part of the food-supplies intended for 

 the field crops. 



For proper development the elms require a 

 warm situation and rather a fresh soil, as they 

 transpire water freely through their foliage. Even 

 when growing on what appears to be rather dry 

 land their deep, heart-shaped roots provide them 

 with no inconsiderable supply of moisture from 

 the subsoil. Hence a warm, sunny exposure, as 

 in avenues and parks, and a fresh or moist, deep 

 sandy loam are where the finest growth of elm 

 is to be expected. Though breaking early into 

 leaf, it suffers little from late frosts. But the 

 early frosts in autumn soon wither the yellowing 

 leaves and bring them to the ground. It is a 

 light-demanding tree, its requirements in this 

 respect being often almost on a par with those of 

 the oak. But as coppice on moist soil it often 

 does fairly well under standards which do not 

 overshadow it too heavily. The demand for 

 light shown by elm trees of large size is, how- 

 ever, so pronounced, that groups of pure elms 

 do not long maintain themselves in close canopy ; 

 and this renders it unsuitable for growth in pure 

 woods, even if this were profitable, which is not 



