THE ELM. 



113 



remunerated by the additional produce of their 

 lands, thus thrown open to the sun and air. The 

 Elm bears transplanting remarkably well even at 

 an advanced age ; hence it is well adapted for 

 planting in the neighbourhood of modern houses, 

 where a speedy shade is desired. For avenues 

 it is unrivalled, forming a delightful shade, and 

 crossing at a lofty elevation and at the exact 

 angle which is most pleasing to the eye. The 

 avenue of these trees at Strathfieldsaye, the seat 

 of the Duke of Wellington, is a mile in length, 

 and is greatly admired. 



In ancient times the leaves of the Elm were 

 much used as fodder for cattle, and this is still the 

 case in many parts of the Continent. Evelyn 

 recommends the revival of this practice in England 

 in seasons when the hay-harvest is defective : he 

 states, that cattle prefer them to oats, and thrive 

 exceedingly well on them : the inner bark is very 

 tough, and, like that of the Lime, is made into 

 bast mats and ropes ; the timber is fine-grained and 

 tough, and is remarkable for its durability under 

 water. Hence it is highly prized in naval archi- 

 tecture, being used for the keels of large vessels, 

 and many parts of the rigging which are most 

 liable to exposure to wet. It was formerly also 

 much used for making water-pipes, but has, with- 

 in the last few years, been almost superseded for 

 this purpose by cast-iron pipes. 



The Elm, growing in a forest, and in good soil, 

 arrives at perfection in a hundred and fifty years, 

 but it will live for five or even six hundred years. 

 Large forest Elms are cut down with advantage 

 when of an age between 100 and 130 years, and 

 then furnish a large quantity of building material. 



II. I 



