The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1894-09-27
THE ELMS OF OHIO.
Brought in Review by Prof. Kellerman.
of the Ohio State University.

brought IN REVIEW Dy Irofs
of the Ohio State University.
! The elms belong to the genus Ulmus.
and include sixteen living and about
forty fossil species. They occur in
North America, Europe and Asia All
of the species are arboreous and some
of them are trees of great majesty and
beauty.
They have simple leaves, in two rows
on the twigs, oblique at the base, the
largest side being above. The margins
are coarsely and doubly serrate. The
veins are prominent, running from tie
midrib parallel and but slightly
branched. The flowers precede the
leaves in early spring, and the fruit is
ripe before the leaves are fully formed.
The fruit is called a samara; it is bor-
dered all around by Iuembraneous
wing.
Three species occur native in Ohio
though but two of these are we'll
known, namely, the Red or Slippery
Elm.( Ulmus fulva), and the Amer can
or White Elm (Ulmus americana). The
third species is called Rock or Cork
) Elm (Ulmus racemosa). The branches
of this are generally corky-ridged,
hence the latter name. The leaves are
much like those of the white elm, but
with veins more simple and straight.
The bud scales are ciliate, also some
what pubescent as are the young
branchlets. In the white elm the buds
and branchlets are smooth. The fruit
is like that of the white elm though a
little larger. The species is. however,
unmistakably distinguished by lis
racemed fowers-the flowers in the
other species being in close fascicles.
This characteristic will be equally
evident in the fruit cluster,
and enable one to male
ly corlly ridges of the branches are
prominent, though it must be reinem-
bered that they are not always absent
from the white elm.
This elm is found along river banks,
but is perhaps not abundant. Reports
of its occurrence throughout the state
are solicited.
The fully grown red and white elms
are in appearance very different from
each other. The first presents branches
with some angularity, and is destitute
of the feathery spray peculiar to tie
white elm. The latter has no abrupt
ness in the branching; it exhibits grace
ful curves and has drooping branch
cs that are clothed with numerous tiny
branchlets, presenting even in winter a
very pleasing aspect
The red elm never attains majesty or
even pronounced beauty. The white
elm is the type of arboreal grandeur
and the embodiment of beauty and
grace. Whether it spreads into the
form of an "Etruscan vase" rises to
great height, bearing few lofty
spreading branches, or is a column { +
verdurc from base to summit, no tree
of the forest surpasses our white elm.
As an ornamental or shade tree, the
red elm should never be substituted for
the white. The minute characters that
serve to distinguish the species shou d
be well known so that young trees
may be correctly identified at planting
time. The leaves of the red elm a: 9
larger; they are very rough on Il 9
upper surface. In the white elm they
are nearly or quite smooth. The buds
of the red elm are larger and have a
covering of rusty hairs. They are slen-
der and smooth in the white elm. The
branches are elongated and naked IN
the case of the red elm; the branchlets
are numerous, forming a feathery spray
in the case of the white elm.
When fruits are borne, the two elns
are seen to be quite different Thee
are round, larger and smooth in tie
red elm. Those of the white elm are
fringed with hairs and notched at tie
upper end.
The white elm is rapid grower; it
grows in almost any soil, is easily
transplanted. bears severe pruning,
though it needs little or none; it has
variety of shapes; the roots are numer-
gus, strong, extensively spreading. so
as to anchor the tree against severe
storms-all of which characteristics en-
force its usefulness as tree for shaoe
and ornament, though its intrinsic
beauty alone should suffice to establish
its superiority.