THE ELM. 



Ill 



about the end of April and the beginning of May. 

 We often, also, see the Elm planted with the 

 Scotch Fir. In the spring, its light green is very 

 discordant with the gloomy hue of its companion ; 

 but as the year advances, the Elm leaf takes a 

 darker tint, and unites in harmony with the Fir. 

 In autumn, also, the yellow leaf of the Elm mixes 

 as kindly with the orange of the Beech, the ochre 

 of the Oak, and many of the other fading hues 

 of the wood." 



This is, undoubtedly, high praise of the Elm, 

 higher perhaps than the author intended ; for the 

 principal faults which he finds with the tree can be 

 detected only in the winter, the season when we 

 look anywhere rather than to the woods for pic- 

 turesque beauty. If, moreover, we consider the 

 frequent occurrence of the Elm in situations where, 

 without it, the landscape would be a blank, but 

 with it, is exceedingly picturesque ; and when we 

 add to Gilpin's list of recommendations the very 

 important one which he has omitted, namely, the 

 graceful outlines of its festoons of foliage, painted 

 on an evening sky, we cannot but allow that it 

 ranks very high among the natural ornaments of 

 an English landscape. 



Frequent mention of the Elm occurs in the 

 English poets, who also allude to the Italian cus- 

 tom mentioned above. Spencer calls it the Vine- 

 prop Elm Milton, describing the daily occupa- 

 tions of Adam and Eve in Paradise, says : — 



" They led the Vine 

 To wed her Elm ; she, spoused, about him twines 

 Her marriageable arms, and with her brings 

 Her dower, the adopted clusters, to adorn 

 His barren leaves." 



