468 



THE NATURE BOOK 



TRUNK AND BAKK OF THE COMMON ELM. 



which is rather deeply notched. It falls 

 early, and rarely, if ever, germinates. 



In compensation for the lack of germin- 

 able fruit this tree has wonderful power 

 of putting up strong root suckers. If a 

 tree were securely fenced at the dis- 

 tance to which its roots extend, the 

 enclosure would presently become a thick 

 forest of young Elms. What really hap- 

 pens is that the suckers of unenclosed 

 trees are destroyed, whilst still young, 

 either by the plough or by grazing animals. 

 But those that rise in the hedge bottom 

 are protected. These, supported from 

 the tree roots, grow strongly. If the 

 hedge is regularly clipped it becomes, for 

 some yards on either side of the tree's 

 base, an Elm hedge only, for it entirely 

 supplants what was there before and gave 

 it protection. If the tree is cut or blown 

 down the Elm hedge remains, witness 

 that such tree once stood there. If the 

 growing Elm hedge is left undipped the 

 stronger suckers take the lead. These 

 kill of^ not only the hedge plants but 

 their crowding neighbour suckers, and 

 become young Elm trees growing in 

 line. It is in this way that the line of 



Elm stalwarts is produced, and a suc- 

 cession is secured. 



THE WYCH ELM 



This tree has its branches more spread- 

 ing. Its great limbs usually branch out 

 from the stem at a lower level, and tend 

 to droop at the extremities. This droop- 

 ing tendency we see confirmed in the 

 not infrequent specimens of " weeping " 

 Wych Elms. Its bark is more regularly, 

 less deeply, furrowed. Its twigs are never 

 thickened with excessive growth of cork. 

 Its leaves, practically without stalks, are 

 larger, more oval in shape, and have 

 their widest part more forward towards 

 the apex, which is drawn out into a long 

 point ; their texture is coarser, they are 

 more strongly ribbed, rougher to the 

 touch above, softer beneath. The flowers, 

 though most abundant high up, yet grow 

 freely on the lower twigs also. The fruit 

 has the seed more truly central in the 

 rounded envelope, which is less deeply 

 notched ; it remains a considerable time 

 on the tree, and some of it has germinating 

 power. The Wych Elm has not found it 

 necessary to specialise in root suckers. 



Henry Irving. 



TRUNK AND BARK OF THE \C'YCH ELM. 



