TREES AS GOOD CITIZENS 
36 
branches, which curve gracefully upward and outward to 
form a symmetrical, rounded, wide-spreading or vase¬ 
like top. This tree’s brownish grey bark is furrowed into 
perpendicular flat-topped ridges, very rough and solid, 
with whitish inner layers. The tree is marked by droop¬ 
ing twigs, and by pointed leaves which are usually quite 
rough above, sharply double-toothed, with straight, pale 
veins clearly marked and extending to the teeth on the 
margins. The English Elm has an oblong top, often 
divided into two sections, one above the other and the 
lower smaller than the upper. The trunk does not sep¬ 
arate into branches as in the American Elm, but is more 
or less continuous well into the top of the tree. Its 
branches are crooked and heavy, and its twigs do not 
droop as do those of the American Elm. The leaves are 
similar to those of the American Elm, but are apt to be 
smaller. The two trees are similar as to bark, except that 
the bark of the English Elm is the harder and coarser. 
The Hackberry resembles the Elm in some respects, 
but its trunk does not divide so gradually. Its light 
bark is irregularly ridged and after a few years is covered 
with prominent wart-like projections of the outer bark, 
which are a distinguishing characteristic. The leaves, 
like those of the Elm, are unevenly developed and lopsided 
to a much greater extent than in the Elm. They are a 
light olive green, sharp pointed and coarsely toothed, 
and each leaf has its two lowest side veins prominent 
and extending well up from the base. The berry resem¬ 
bles a yellow cherry, turning to purple-black and is sweet 
and edible. 
While the various Poplars have numerous points in 
common, they are marked by distinctive characteristics. 
The Lombardy Poplar is tall and slender, shaped like the 
spire of a church, and its erect branches normally start at 
