23 



THE ELMS 



There are three species of elm native to Canada. 

 The leaves are not compound and the veins run off 

 from the midrib to the outer edge like the barbs of a 

 feather, or to employ the usual terms, 

 the leaves are simple and pinnate. The 

 white elm is the common one with a 

 great spreading top, seen standing so 

 grandly in meadows. The twigs are 

 smooth. The rock elm has corky ridges 

 on the twigs which easily distinguish it. 

 The red or slippery elm has stouter 

 twigs than the white elm and they and 

 the inner bark are mucilaginous. The 

 buds have a heavy covering of reddish- 

 brown hair. The rock and red elms 

 are found only in the southern part of Quebec and 

 Ontario but the white elm grows as far west as 

 the province of Saskatchewan. Elm is used for 

 making furniture, but principally for. barrels, boxes, 

 and fruit packages. 



THE BIRCHES 



The birch bark canoe of the Indian has made the 

 birch well known in Canadian song and story. 

 There are nine species of birch in Canada. The 

 bark of all birches, which is smooth and in colour 

 either brown or white, is marked with long, hori- 

 zontal slits or lenticels, and on young trees of most 

 species can be separated into papery layers. The 

 seeds are produced in small scaly cones. The 

 leaves are simple and pinnate. There are two white 

 birches, so called from the colour of their bark, one 



