70 DICOTYLEDONEJE. 



The order Ulmacece contains only three genera, 

 but the type is one of our most ornamental and 

 and useful timber trees. The English elm is not a 

 forester ; no old trees being met with except in the 

 vicinity of buildings, or marking the place where such 

 have formerly stood. It is said that this tree was 

 introduced into England from Palestine during the 

 crusades ; and from the many fine avenues, and 

 hedge-rows still remaining about noblemen and 

 gentlemen's seats, it appears there existed at one 

 period " a rage " for planting elms. Considered 

 constitutionally, this tree is a mass of vitality ; every 

 part of its exterior, root, stem, and branches, is 

 studded with either latent, or visible buds. No tree 

 bears pruning so well as the elm ; and where it is 

 once planted, there it, or its viviparous progeny, 

 ever remains : a fortunate property of a tree which 



uriantly, and run up the stems of the trees, yielding abundance of 

 leaves, which are gathered from day to day, made up into little 

 parcels of a score or two, bound with a leaf of carex, and so sent 

 to market. Such a plantation is productive for years when well 

 taken care of, and is considered a profitable possession. The leaves 

 are called betel, because they are used with the betel nut, which 

 is the fruit of the Areca catechu palm, so highly esteemed for it 

 exhilarating effects on the nerves when kept in the mouth as a quid. 

 When used, a piece of the betel nut about the size of a Mazagan 

 bean is wrapped in part of a pepper leaf, along with a little chunam 

 (red limestone pounded) ; together forming a pellet, which is 

 placed within the cheek. The lime corrects the acridity of the 

 pepper, and the whole excites a flow of saliva agreeable enough, 

 perhaps , in a torrid climate. 



