38 BULLETIN" 683. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



All need much light, and so do best when their crowns are well above 

 those of their neighbors. This is the usual position of white elm, at 

 least, in the old-growth forests. All make their best growth in good 

 deep, fresh, or moist soil with good drainage, but will succeed even 

 on upland sandy or stony soil, if not too dry and shallow. Where 

 creeks run through woodlots, elms are more apt to be found along 

 their borders among such trees as maple, beech, birch, white and red 

 oaks, and basswood. Among the oaks, hickories, pine, etc., which 

 commonly occupy the drier sites, elms are usually rare or absent. 

 In woodlots in river bottoms white elm is often one of the most 

 abundant trees, growing among cottonwoods, silver maples, syca- 

 mores, and other moisture-loving species. 



Most of the woodlot elm is white elm, especially in the region north 

 of central Ohio, Indiana, and lUinois. This is rather unfortunate, 

 since for woodlot purposes white elm is probably the least useful 

 of the three common species (white, cork or "rock," and slippery or 

 "red" elm). Its growth rate, while only moderate, is more rapid 

 than that of the other species, but the usefulness of the wood for 

 farm purposes is less. It is less desirable than slippery elm for fuel, 

 and probably somewhat less resistant to decay and therefore less 

 useful for fence posts, siUs, etc. For lumber or bolts intended for 

 wagon manufacture and similar purposes, cork elm is, of course, 

 superior to the other species. 



Where mature elm of either of these three species, or young, thrifty 

 trees of cork or sHppery elm are present in a woodlot they should be 

 counted a resource; but it is often of doubtful advisability to plant 

 elm or attempt to secure natural reproduction, for the purpose of 

 producing wood. Efficiency in woodlot management or planting 

 demands careful discrimination as to species, and various species of 

 oak, pine, etc., may often be better material, depending on soil, 

 drainage, and economic conditions, than elms. Before making the 

 choice as to trees to be planted or favored in woodlots, o-svners should 

 secure whatever information is available vnth. reference to the differ- 

 ent useful species and the conditions under which each is worthy of 

 selection. Advice on such questions can usually be obtained easily 

 from State foresters in the States which employ them, from forest 

 schools, or from the Forest Service, United States Department of 



Agriculture.^ 



SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. 



The value of elm wood for special purposes is due to its strength, 

 excellent bending qualities, and high degree of ability to stand shock. 

 These properties make it valuable for hoops of various kinds, basket 



1 The following bulletins of the United States Department of Agriculture contain information which 

 may be of use to woodlot owners in this connection: 



Bulletin 153, " Forest Planting in the Eastern United States." 



Bulletin 481, " Status and Value of Farm Woodlots in the Eastern United States." 



Farmers' Bulletin 711, "Care and Improvement of the Woodlot." 



