Ulmus Americana, L.

Elm. American Elm. White Elm .

Habitat and Range. —Low, moist ground; thrives especially on rich intervales.

Maine,—common, most abundant in central and southern portions; New Hampshire,—common from the southern base of the White mountains to the sea; in the remaining New England states very common, attaining its highest development in the rich alluvium of the Connecticut river valley.

Habit. —In the fullness of its vigor the American elm is the most stately and graceful of the New England trees, 50-110 feet high and 1-8 feet in diameter above the swell of the roots; characterized by an erect, more or less feathered or naked trunk, which loses itself completely in the branches, by arching limbs, drooping branchlets set at a wide angle, and by a spreading head widest near the top. Modifications of these elements give rise to various well-marked forms which have received popular names.

1. In the vase-shaped tree, which is usually regarded as the type, the trunk separates into several large branches which rise, slowly diverging, 40-50 feet, and then sweep outward in wide arches, the smaller branches and spray becoming pendent.

2. In the umbrella form the trunk remains entire nearly to the top of the tree, when the branches spread out abruptly, forming a broad, shallow arch, fringed at the circumference with long, drooping branchlets.

3. The slender trunk of the plume elm rises, usually undivided, a considerable height, begins to curve midway, and is capped with a one-sided tuft of branches and delicate, elongated branchlets.

4. The drooping elm differs from the type in the height of the arch and greater droop of the branches, which sometimes sweep the ground.

5. In the oak form the limbs are more or less tortuous and less arching, forming a wide-spreading, rounded head.

In all forms short, irregular, pendent branchlets are occasional along the trunks. The trees most noticeably feathered are usually of medium size, and have few large branches, the superfluous vitality manifesting itself in a copious fringe, which sometimes invests and obliterates the great pillars which support the masses of foliage. Conspicuous at all seasons of the year,—in spring when its brown buds are swollen to bursting, or when the myriads of flowers, insignificant singly, give in the sunlight an atmosphere of purplish-brown; when clothed with light, airy masses of deep green in summer or pale yellow in autumn, or in winter when the great trunk and mighty sweep of the arching branches distinguish it from all other trees. The roots lie near the surface and run a great distance.

Bark. —Dark gray, irregularly and broadly striate, rather firmly ridged, in very old trees sometimes partially detached in plates; branches ash-gray, smooth; branchlets reddish-brown; season's shoots often pubescent, light brown in late fall.

Winter Buds and Leaves. —Buds ovate, brown, flattened, obtuse to acute, smooth. Leaves simple, alternate, 2-5 inches long, 2-3 inches wide, dark green and roughish above, lighter and downy at first beneath; outline ovate or oval to obovate-oblong, sharply and usually doubly serrate; apex abruptly pointed; base half acute, half rounded, produced on one side, often slightly heart-shaped or obtuse; veins straight and prominent; leafstalk stout, short; stipules small, soon falling. Leaves drop in early autumn.

Inflorescence. —April. In loose lateral clusters along the preceding season's shoots; flowers brown or purplish, mostly perfect, with occasional sterile and fertile on the same tree; stems slender; calyx 7-9-lobed, hairy or smooth; stamens 7-9, filaments slender, anthers exserted, brownish-red; ovary flat, green, ciliate; styles 2.

Fruit. —Ripening in May, before the leaves are fully grown, a samara, ½ inch in diameter, oval or ovate, smooth on both sides, hairy on the edge, the notch in the margin closed or partially closed by the two incurved points.

Horticultural Value. —Hardy throughout New England; grows in any soil, but prefers a deep, rich loam; the ideal street tree with its high, overarching branches and moderate shade; grows rapidly, throws out few low branches, bears pruning well; now so seriously affected by numerous insect enemies that it is not planted as freely as heretofore; objectionable on the borders of gardens or mowing land, as the roots run along near the surface for a great distance. Very largely grown in nurseries, usually from seed, sometimes from small collected plants. Though so extremely variable in outline, there are no important horticultural forms in cultivation.

Plate XLVIII. —Ulmus Americana.

Ulmus fulva, Michx.

Ulmus pubescens, Walt.

Slippery Elm. Red Elm.

Habitat and Range. —Rich, low grounds, low, rocky woods and hillsides.

Maine,—District of Maine (Michaux, Sylva of North America , ed. 1853, III, 53), rare; Waterborough (York county, Chamberlain, 1898); New Hampshire,—valley of the Connecticut, usually disappearing within ten miles of the river; ranges as far north as the mouth of the Passumpsic; Vermont,—frequent; Massachusetts,—rare in the eastern sections, frequent westward; Rhode Island.—infrequent; Connecticut,—occasional.

Habit. —A small or medium-sized tree, 40-60 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-2½ feet; head in proportion to the height of the tree, the widest spreading of the species, characterized by its dark, hairy buds and rusty-green, dense and rough foliage.

Bark. —Bark of trunk brown and in old trees deeply furrowed; larger branches grayish-brown, somewhat striate; branchlets grayish-brown, rough, marked with numerous dots, downy; season's shoots light gray and very rough; inner bark mucilaginous, hence the name "slippery elm."

Winter Buds and Leaves. —Buds ovate to rounded-cylindrical, acute or obtuse, very dark, densely tomentose, very conspicuous just before unfolding. Leaves simple, alternate, 4-8 inches long, 3-4 inches wide, thickish, minutely hairy above and woolly beneath when young, at maturity pale rusty-green and very rough both ways upon the upper surface, scarcely less beneath, rough and hairy along the ribs; sweet-scented when dried; outline oblong, ovate-oblong, or oval, doubly serrate; apex acuminate; base more or less heart-shaped or obtuse, inequilateral; leafstalk short, rough, hairy; stipules small, soon falling.

Inflorescence. —March to April. Preceding the leaves, from the lateral buds of the preceding season, in clusters of nearly sessile, purplish flowers; sterile, fertile, and perfect on the same tree; calyx 5-9-lobed, downy; corolla none; stamens 5-9, anthers dark red; ovary flattened; styles two, purple, downy.

Fruit. —A samara, winged all round, 3/4 inch in diameter, roundish, pubescent over the seed, not fringed, larger than the fruit of U. Americana .

Horticultural Value. —Hardy throughout New England; does well in various situations, but prefers a light, sandy or gravelly soil near running water; grows more rapidly than U. Americana , and is less liable to the attacks of insects; its large foliage and graceful outline make it worthy of a place in ornamental plantations. Propagated from seed.

Plate XLIX. —Ulmus fulva.

Ulmus racemosa, Thomas.

Cork Elm. Rock Elm.

Habitat and Range. —Dry, gravelly soils, rich soils, river banks.

Maine,—not reported; New Hampshire,—rare and extremely local; Meriden and one or two other places (Jessup); Vermont,—rare, Bennington, Pownal (Robbins), Knowlton (Brainerd), Highgate (Eggleston); comparatively abundant in Champlain valley and westward (T. H. Haskins, Garden and Forest , V, 86); Massachusetts,—rare; Rhode Island and Connecticut,—not reported native.

Habit. —A large tree, scarcely inferior at its best to U. Americana , 50-75 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-3 feet; reaching in southern Michigan a height of 100 feet and a diameter of 5 feet; trunk rather slender; branches short and stout, often twiggy in the interior of the tree; branchlets slender, spreading, sometimes with a drooping tendency; head rather narrow, round-topped.

Bark. —Bark of trunk brownish-gray, in old trees irregularly separated into deep, wide, flat-topped ridges; branches grayish-brown; leaf-scars conspicuous; season's shoots light brown, more or less pubescent or glabrous, oblong-dotted; branches and branchlets often marked lengthwise with corky, wing-like ridges.

Winter Buds and Leaves. —Buds ovate to oblong, pointed, scales downy-ciliate, pubescent. Leaves simple, alternate, 3-4 inches long, half as wide, glabrous above, minutely pubescent beneath; outline ovate, doubly serrate (less sharp than the serratures in U. Americana ); apex acuminate; base inequilateral, produced and rounded on one side, acute or slightly rounded on the other; veins straight; leafstalk short, stout; stipules soon falling.

Inflorescence. —April to May. Appearing before the leaves from lateral buds of the preceding season, in drooping racemes; calyx lobes 7-8, broad-triangular, with rounded edges and a mostly obtuse apex: pedicels thread-like, jointed; stamens 5-10, exserted, anthers purple, ovary 2-styled: stigmas recurved or spreading.

Fruit. —Samara ovate, broadly oval, or obovate, pubescent, margin densely fringed, resembling fruit of U. Americana but somewhat larger.

Horticultural Value. —Hardy throughout New England; prefers a moist, rich soil, in open situations; less variable in habit than the American elm and a smaller tree with smaller foliage, scarcely varying enough to justify its extensive use as a substitute. Not often obtainable in nurseries, but readily transplanted, and easily propagated from the seed.

Plate L. —Ulmus racemosa.

Celtis occidentalis, L.

Hackberry. Nettle Tree. Hoop Ash. Sugar Berry.

Habitat and Range. —In divers situations and soils; woods, river banks, near salt marshes.

Maine,—not reported; New Hampshire,—sparingly along the Connecticut valley, as far as Wells river; Vermont,—along Lake Champlain, not common; Norwich and Windsor on the Connecticut (Eggleston); Massachusetts,—occasional throughout the state; Rhode Island,—common (Bailey); Connecticut,—common (J. N. Bishop).

Habit. —A small or medium-sized tree, 20-45 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 8 inches to 2 feet; attaining farther south a maximum of 100 feet in height, with a trunk diameter of 4-6 feet; variable; most commonly the rough, straight trunk, sometimes buttressed at the base, branches a few feet from the ground, sending out a few large limbs and numerous slender, horizontal or slightly drooping and more or less tortuous branches; head wide-spreading, flattish or often rounded, with deep green foliage which lasts into late autumn with little change in color, and with cherry-like fruit which holds on till the next spring.

Bark. —Bark of trunk in young trees grayish, rough, unbroken, in old trees with deep, short ridges; main branches corrugated; secondary branches close and even; branchlets pubescent; season's shoots reddish-brown, often downy, more or less shining.

Winter Buds and Leaves. —Buds small, ovate, acute, scales chestnut brown. Leaves simple, alternate, extremely variable in size, outline, and texture, usually 2-4 inches long, two-thirds as wide, thin, deep green, and scarcely rough above, more or less pubescent beneath, with numerous and prominent veins, outline ovate to ovate-lanceolate, sharply serrate above the lower third; apex usually narrowly and sharply acuminate; base acutish, inequilateral, 3-nerved, entire; leafstalk slender; stipules lanceolate, soon falling.

Inflorescence. —May. Appearing with the leaves from the axils of the season's shoots, sterile and fertile flowers usually separate on the same tree; flowers slender-stemmed, the sterile in clusters at the base of the shoot, the fertile in the axils above, usually solitary; calyx greenish, segments oblong; stamens 4-6, in the fertile flowers about the length of the 4 lobes, in the sterile exserted; ovary with two long, recurved stigmas.

Fruit. —Drupes, on long slender stems, globular, about the size of the fruit of the wild red cherry, purplish-red when ripe, thin-meated, edible, lasting through the winter.

Horticultural Value. —Hardy throughout New England; grows in all well-drained soils, but prefers a deep, rich, moist loam. Young trees grow rather slowly and are more or less distorted, and trees of the same age often vary considerably in size and habit; hence it is not a desirable street tree, but it appears well in ornamental grounds. A disease which seriously disfigures the tree is extending to New England, and the leaves are sometimes attacked by insects. Occasionally offered by nurserymen and easily transplanted. ZDUg3bqlXZRfnpsZ35SL0TyK1ZC+JMmGqIhxJjuPzSMkRVFH3RepEdE3UW56haCJ

Plate LI. —Celtis occidentalis.

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