DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TREES. 107 



object. The roughness of the bark, contrasting with the 

 lightness of its foliage, and the easy sweep of its branches, 

 adds much also to its picturesque effect as a whole. 



We shall briefly describe the principal species of the elm. 



The American White elm. ( Ulmus Americana.) This is 

 the best known, and most generally distributed of our native 

 species, growing in greater or less profusion, over the whole 

 of the country included between Lower Canada and the 

 Gulf of Mexico. It often reaches SO feet in height in tine 

 soils, with a diameter of 4 or 5 feet. The leaves are alter- 

 nate, 3 or 4 inches long, unequal in size at the base, borne on 

 petioles half an inch to an inch in length, oval, accuminate, 

 and doubly denticulated. The seeds are contained in a flat, 

 oval, winged seed-vessel, fringed with small hairs on the 

 margin. The flowers, of a dull purple colour, are borne in 

 small bunches on short footstalks, at the end of the branches, 

 and appear very early in the spring. This tree prefers a 

 good rich soil, and grows with greater luxuriance if it be rather 

 moist, often reaching, in such situations, an altitude of nearly 

 100 feet. It is found in the greatest perfection in the alluvial 

 soils of the fertile valleys of the Connecticut, the Mississippi, 

 and Ohio Rivers. 



The Red or Slippery elm. ( U. fulva.) A tree of lower 

 size than the White elm, attaining generally only 40 or 50 feet. 

 Accordins: to Michaux, it maybe distinguished from the lat- 

 ter even in winter, by its buds, which are larger and rounder, 

 and which are covered a fortnight before their developement, 

 with a russet down. The leaves are larger, rougher, and 

 thicker than those of the White elm; the seed-vessels larger, 

 destitute of fringe ; the stamens short, and of a pale rose col- 

 our. This tree bears a strong likeness to the Dutch elm, and 

 the bark abounds in mucilage, whence the name of Slippery 

 elm. The branches are less drooping than those of the 

 White elm. 



The Wahoo elm, ( U. alata,) is noi found north of Virginia. 

 It may at once be known in every stage of its growth, by the 



