GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE TREES 



But, after all, I think it is in winter that 

 the American elm is at its finest, for then 

 stand forth most fully revealed the wonderful 

 symmetry of its structure and the elegance of 

 its lines. It has one advantage in its great 

 size, which is well above the average, for it 

 lifts its graceful head a hundred feet or more 

 above the earth. The stem is usually clean 

 and regular, and the branches spread out in 

 closely symmetrical relation, so that, as seen 

 against the cold sky of winter, leafless and 

 bare, they seem all related parts of a most 

 harmonious whole. Other great trees are 

 notable for the general effect of strength or 

 massiveness, individual branches departing much 

 from the average line of the whole structure ; 

 but the American elm is regular in all its 

 parts, as well as of general stateliness. 



As I have noted, the people of the New 

 England States value and cherish their great 

 elms, and .they are accustomed to think them- 

 selves the only possessors of this unique tree. 

 We have, however, as good elms in Pennsyl- 

 vania as there are in New England, and I 

 hope the day is not far distant when we shall 



140 



