THE PLAKTER'S GUIDE. 



317 



happy surface for catching masses of hght, which in the 

 other is so much admired by the painter.'"' 



As a useful tree the Elm is held in high esteem. The 

 whole Elm family, indeed, possess more or less a peculiar 

 excellence in which they stand completely unriyalled. The 

 Oak is eminent for strength and durability ; the Ash com- 

 paratiyely for toughness ; the beech, for closeness of 

 texture and cleannesss of grain ; but the Elm, for the 

 tenacity and adhesiyeness of its parts, being less liable to 

 split than any other species of timber whateyer. This 

 quality renders it singularly useful for yarious important 

 purposes — such as the nayes of wheel-carriages of eyery 

 description, water-wheels, pipes, pumps, &c. Besides, the 

 keels of ships are now almost uniyersally laid with Elm, 

 and frequently the gunwales of yessels of war are made of 

 it. It is less apt to splinter in action than eyen Oak ; 

 and the keels, in the same way, are less liable to split in 

 taking the ground. 



Of the two species of Elm, writers are not agreed as to 

 which furnishes the best timber. Of late authors, Dr 

 Yuile, on the authority seemingly of Sir James Smith, 

 decides in fayour of the English ; but the Scotch sort 

 seems to haye the suffrage of the carpenters, who in some 

 parts of England, by way of pre-eminence, call it the naye 

 Elm. As Mr Pontey, howeyer, truly obseryes, the fact of 

 the competition proyes that " both kinds must be yery 

 good.^^ He mentions, also, haying procured a yariety for 

 his nursery at Huddersfield, which grows as erect as the 

 English, and is a quicker grower than either of the 

 sorts, which may turn out a considerable acquisition to 

 planters, f 



The favourite soil of the Elm is a deep rich loam, and 



* See Forest Scenery, vol. i. p. 43. 



t Note VII. 



