220 SYLVA PLORIFERA. 



its name from the pendant position of its 

 branches, and is also distinguished by its 

 smooth oblong leaves. 



Columella tells us, that the Romans fed 

 their cattle with the leaves of the elm ; for 

 which purpose, Evelyn says, they are not to 

 be despised ; for being suffered to dry in the 

 sun, on the branches, and the spray stripped 

 off about the end of August, these he directs 

 to be placed in a dry barn, and says, when 

 hay and fodder is dear, they are of great ser- 

 vice, and that the cattle will eat them in pre- 

 ference to oats, and thrive exceedingly well 

 with them. But since the introduction of 

 clover, and other exotic grasses and plants so 

 abundantly into our fields, the trees are but 

 rarely robbed of their verdure to feed our 

 cattle : yet we are surprised not to see the 

 fallen leaves collected in the autumn, since 

 every gardener knows that no manure is 

 superior to decayed leaves. 



We learn from the plays of M. Accius 

 Plautus, that elm twigs were anciently used 

 as instruments of castigation ; for this comic 

 poet speaks of a rogue who had been chastised 

 so often, that he had wasted all the elms in 

 the country, in rods and cudgels. 



Elm timber is in great esteem for pipes 

 that are constantly underground ; and it is in- 



