U L M 
1 he third Sort is cbrrimonly known in the nurfery- 
feardens by the title of English Elm, which is far 
irorn being a right appellation, for it is not a native 
ot England, arid is only found growing near London, 
or in plantations where the young trees were procured 
from the neighbourhood or London. Where this tree 
grows naturally is not eafy to determine; fame per- 
ions have iuppofed it was brought from Germany. 
As this tree is well knovi/ifr, it requires' no defcriptlon. 
1 he flowers of this are of a purplifh red colour, and 
generally appear the beginning of March, but I could 
never ohferve any feeds upon this fort. 
The fourth lbrt is very common in feveral parts of 
Hertfordshire, ESSex, and other north-eaSl counties 
of England ; this grows to a large tree, and is much 
Gieemed. The branches fpread out like thole of 
the fir ft fort. The leaves are oval, and Iharply fawed 
on their edges ; they are fmoother than moft of the 
other forts, and do not appear till the middle or lat- 
ter end of May, fo the trees are fcldom planted near 
habitations. 
The fifth fort is ,we!3 known by the tide of Dutch 
Elm this was brought from Holland the beginning 
of King WilllianTs reign, and was for lome time a 
fashionable tree, and has been recommended for its 
quick growth •, it was home years ago in great requeft 
for forming hedges in gardens, for which purpofe it 
was one of the moft improper trees that could be 
chofen, for they made very ftrong irregular {hoots, 
which are diftant from each other. The leaves were 
very large and rough, and the branches covered with 
a fungous rough bark, which was diiagreeable, fo 
that when the hedges were Sheared, they appeared 
naked and difagreeable the whole fummer after. The 
wood of this tree is* good for nothing, fo it is almoSt 
banished this country. 
The Sixth fort is found growing in hedge-rows in 
feveral parts of England. The branches of this fort 
have a Smooth grayish bark, and grow ereCt. The 
leaves are narrower, and more pointed than thofe of 
the English Elm, and are Smoother-, they are later in 
coming out in the fpring than thofe, but continue 
longer in autumn ; this has been by fome called the 
IriSh Elm. 
There are fome other varieties of this tree which are 
preferved in the nuriery-gardens, but their difference 
is not remarkable enough to deferve notice, therefore 
they are omitted, as are alfo thole with variegated 
leaves, of which there are Several varieties propagated 
in the nurferies about London 5 thefe are by fome 
perSons efteemed. 
All the forts of Elm may be either propagated by 
layers or fuckers taken from the roots of the old 
trees, the latter of which is generally praftifed by the 
nuri'ery gardeners ^ but as thefe are often cutup with 
indifferent roots, they often mifearry, and render the 
fuccefs doubtful ; whereas thofe which are propagated 
by layers are in no hazard, and always make better 
roots, and come on fafter than the other, and do not 
fend out fuckers from their roots in Such plenty, for 
which reafon this method Should be more univerfally 
practifed. And fince a fmall compafs of ground 
filled with fools of thefe plants will be Sufficient to 
furniffi a nuri'ery of a conflderable extent, annually, 
with layers to be transplanted, it is richly worth every 
perfoifs while, who would cultivate thefe trees, to 
allot a Spot of ground for this purpofe. 
The beft foil for fuch a nurfery is a frefli Hazel 
loam, neither too light and dry, nor over moift and 
heavy this ground Should be well trenched, and if a 
little rotten dung is buried therein, it will be of Ser- 
vice •, in doing of this great care Should be taken to 
pick out all the roots of pernicious weeds, which, if 
left in the ground, would be very injurious to the 
layers, and cannot afterwards be fo eafily rooted out 
then having laid the ground level, the plants muft be 
planted at about eight feet al under each way. The 
beft feaibn for this work is in autumn, as Soon as the 
leaves begin to decay, that, they may take root before 
the dry weather in the fpring comes on, whereby a 
ULM 
great expence of watering them will, be Saved j for if 
they are well fettled in the ground before the dry 
weather, they will require little more than to mulch 
their roots to keep the earth ffom drying. 
Thefe plants Should be permitted to grow rude two 
years, during which time the ground between Should 
be carefully cleaned and dug every fpring, by which 
time they will be well rooted and have made pretty 
ftrong Shoots, fo that they may be laid in the ground. 
The manner of performing this being already de- 
feribed in the article Layers, I Shall forbear repeating 
it in this place. 
When thefe layers afe well rooted, which will be' in 
one year, they Should be taken off, and tranfplanted 
Out into a nurfery, which Should be upon a good foil, 
and well prepared, (as before for the Tools’. )’ The 
plants Should be planted in’ rows about four feet al un- 
der, and two feet diftance plant from plant in thd 
rows. This Should be done in auttimn, as foon as the 
leaves begin to decay, and if there is fome mulch laid 
upon the furface of the ground about their roots, it,; 
will preferve them from being hurt by froft in win- 
ter, and from drying winds in fpnng, and thereby fe- 
cure them from all hazard. 
The following fummer the ground between them 
Should be constantly kept clean from weeds, and in 
autumn they Should be pruned up, cutting off all 
ftrong lateral branches, which, if left on, would im- 
pede their upright growth ; but there mult be Some 
of the Smaller Shoots left on to detain the fap, in order 
to augment the Stems of the trees ; for where they are 
pruned up too naked, they are apt to grow up too' 
Slender to fupport themfelves, fo that their heads will 
recline to the ground, and caufe their Stems to grow 
crooked. 
In this nurfery they may remain four or five years, ob- 
ferving constantly to dig the ground between them 
every fpring, and to trim them as before directed, 
which, will promote their growth, and render them 
ftrong enough to tranfplant out where they are to 
remain, in the time before mentioned. 
Thefe trees are very proper to plant in hedge-rows,’ 
upon the borders of fields, where they will thrive much 
better than when planted in a wood, or clofe planta- 
tion, and their Shade will not be very injurious to 
whatever grows under them •, but when thefe trees are 
tranfplanted out upon banks after this manner, the 
banks Should be well wrought, and cleared from all 
other roots, otherwile the plants, being taken from 
a better foil, will not make much progrefs in thefe 
places. About Michaelmas will be a good time for 
this work, for the reafons before aSligned ; but when 
they are planted, there Should be fome Slakes fixed in 
by them, to which they Should be faftened to prevent 
their being displaced by the winds, and part of their 
heads Should be taken off before they are planted, 
which will alfo be of ufe in preventing their being 
eafily overturned by winds ; but by no means Should 
their leading Shoot be Slopped, nor the branches too 
clofely cut off ; for if there are not fome Shoots left 
on to draw and attract the fap, they will be in danger 
of mifearrying. 
Thefe trees are alfo proper to plant at a diftance from 
a garden or building to break the violence of winds, 
for which purpofe there is not any tree more ufeful, 
for they may be trained up in form of a hedge, keep- 
ing them cut every year, which will caufe them to 
grow very clofe and handfome to the height of forty 
or fifty feet, and be a great protection againft the 
fury of winds ; but they Should not be planted too near 
a garden, where fruit-trees or other plants are placed, 
becaufe the roots of the Elms run Superficially near 
the top of the ground to a great diftance, and will 
intermix with the roots of the other trees, and deprive 
them of nourishment ; nor Should they be planted 
near gravel or Grafs walks, which are defigned to be 
well kept, becaufe the roots will run into them, and 
fend forth fuckers- in great plenty, which will deface 
the walks, and render them unfightly. 
But 
