Handbook of Trees of the Noetheen States and Canada. 1S3 



The White Elm is one of the largest trees 

 of the Atlantic States, frequently attaining 

 the height of 100 or 125 ft. with a trunk 6 to 

 10 ft. in diameter. These large trunks are 

 widely buttressed at base and in the forest 

 usually columnar and undivided to the height 

 of 30-60 ft. or more. Its beautiful form when 

 growing in the open field is a familiar and 

 beloved feature of almost every landscape of 

 New England and the Northern States. These 

 trees usually divide within 20 or 30 ft. from 

 the ground into few large branches, which rise 

 upward, ramify and curve gracefully outward, 

 forming a broad rounded or flat top with more 

 or less drooping branchlets. The trunk and 

 large limbs are often fringed to the ground 

 with short contorted branches. It inhabits 

 naturally moist bottom-lands and the borders 

 of streams. 



The wood when absolutely dry weighs 40. .56 



pounds per cubic foot, is strong, tough and 



diflicult to split, and is a favorite timber for 



wagon making, particularly the hubs of wheels, 



and for saddle-trees, tool-handles, etc.i 



Leaves oval to oblong-obovate. rounded or heart- 

 shaped on one side at base and short or wedge- 

 shaped on the other, abruptly acumiDate at apex, 

 doubly serrate, dark green and smooth or nearly 

 so above, paler beneath. Flowers, before the 

 leaves, in fascicles, with slender drooping .iointed 

 pedicels : calyx with 7-9 short rounded lobes : 

 ovary and styles light green. Fruity ripening as 

 the leaves unfold, an oval-obovate samara short 

 stipitate, glabrous with ciliate margins. - 



1. A. W., II, 33. 



2. For genus see p. 432. 



