38 BULLETIN" 683. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
All need much light, and so do best when their crowns are well above 
those of their neighbors. This is the usual position of white elm, at 
least, in the old-growth forests. All make their best growth in good 
deep, fresh, or moist soil with good drainage, but will succeed even 
on upland sandy or stony soil, if not too dry and shallow. Where 
creeks run through woodlots, elms are more apt to be found along 
their borders among such trees as maple, beech, birch, white and red 
oaks, and basswood. Among the oaks, hickories, pine, etc., which 
commonly occupy the drier sites, elms are usually rare or absent. 
In Woodlots in river bottoms white elm is often one of the most 
abundant trees, growing among cottonwoods, silver maples, syca- 
mores, and other moisture-loving species. 
Most of the woodlot elm is white elm, especially in the region north 
of central Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. This is rather unfortunate, 
since for woodlot purposes white elm is probably the least useful 
of the three common species (white, cork or "rock," and slippery or 
"red" elm). Its growth rate, while only moderate, is more rapid 
than that of the other species, but the usefulness of the wood for 
farm purposes is less. It is less desirable than slippery elm for fuel, 
and probably somewhat less resistant to decay and therefore less 
useful for fence posts, sills, etc. For lumber or bolts intended for 
wagon manufacture and similar purposes, cork elm is, of course, 
superior to the other species. 
Where mature elm of either of these three species, or young, thrifty 
trees of cork or slippery elm are present in a woodlot they should be 
counted a resource ; but it is often of doubtful advisability to plant 
elm or attempt to secure natural reproduction, for the purpose of 
producing wood. Efficiency in woodlot management or planting 
demands careful discrimination as to species, and various species of 
oak, pine, etc., may often be better material, depending on soil, 
drainage, and economic conditions, than elms. Before making the 
choice as to trees to be planted or favored in woodlots, owners should 
secure whatever information is available with reference to the differ- 
ent useful species and the conditions under which each is worthy of 
selection. Advice on such questions can usually be obtained easily 
from State foresters in the States which employ them, from forest 
schools, or from the Forest Service, United States Department of 
Agriculture. 1 
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. 
The value of elm wood for special purposes is due to its strength, 
excellent bending qualities, and high degree of ability to stand shock. 
These properties make it valuable for hoops of various kinds, basket 
1 The following bulletins of the United States Department of Agriculture contain information which 
may be of use to woodlot owners in this connection: 
Bulletin 153, "Forest Planting in the Eastern United States." 
Bulletin 481, " Status and Value of Farm Woodlots in the Eastern United States." 
Farmers' Bulletin 711, "Care and Improvement of the Woodlot." 
