The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1895-01-23
NoTAeLE NEW ENGLAND Inns
The Pride Of Many villages as They Well
Deserve 70 lie.


Deserve 20 He.
The elms Of New England have al
ways been famous, both for their size
and beauty, and there Is hardly town
or village, however small. that does
not possess a goodly number OF these
grand old trees. IL is eminently fitting
that to Wethersfeld. which. next 10
Windsor. Is the earliest settlement In
Connecticut. should belong the honor
Of possessing the oldest as well as the
largest elm in the state. More than
that, those who profess TO be familiar
with New England's big trees say that
the Wethersfeld elm is the largest east
Of the Rocky mountains. II is a grand
old tree. and. in its rugged and sturdy
appearances. fit rival OF the mighty
oak. The huge branches shoot
out from the trunk at Q oompara-
lively short distance from the ground,
and each one Of these branches Is large
enough 70 make q respectable tree BY
itself. The circumference Of the trunk
feet above the ground Is SO feet and ]
inch. Six feet up, coming to what
might be called the waist OF the tree,
the circumference Is 20 feet inch. and
at height Of feet the circumference
nttains It's largest girth Of SEX feet
The circumference Of the Eve main
branches range from II 70 IS feet
Measuring around the roots Of the tree,
Mt a point where they extend into
the ground, we have the enormous cir
Gle ofssK feet. An area 4et feet in cir
conference is covered by the vast out
spreading limbs. Until two years ago
the area was 4s7 feet, but a furious Ice
storm Topped on some Of the outer
branches.
In Windsor, the oldest Connecticut
settlement. are several grand old elms,
and there Is one which, II is claimed. Is
trife larger than the Wethersdeld
elm. But this statement has never
been conelusiyely proved.
The little village Of Sheffield, Mass,
possesses an elm which has been IA
nous for many years. both for It's size
and the towering sweepof its branches.
Its trunk Is about sixteen feet in cir.
eumference, and the topmost branches
rise many feet above the submits Of
the other trees In the vicinity. II II
plainly visible at q considerable dis
tance, and persons in that portion Of
the Berkshire hills seldom fail 10 see
the famous Sheffield elm.
One Of the grandest elms In all New
England. 50 far as beauty and symmet.
~ Of form are concerned. stands on a
fne old farm In Canaan, Conn. This Il
way up In the northwestern part Of the
state. very near the Massachusetts
boundary line. Thelocality Is n lonely
one, being In the Berkshire hills, and
Il would seem as though nature, in
making all the surrounding country SC
delightful, had put forth her best en-.
e-gies 70 produce trees which should
not only harmonic with, but add
70 the universal beauty OF the
landscape. This Canaan elm q
about three-quarters Of 4 mile from
the railroad station. and a short dis.
tance OF from the road 10 Ashley
Falls II Il plainly visible. however.
from the railroad train, and has
ELECTED general admiration from hun.
dreds Of travellers King 7. Sheldon.
Of winated. has Travelled nearly all
over New England and seen scores Of
beautiful trees. but he has no hesitan.
cy 10 saying that this Canaan elm Is
By far the handsomest, the most grace.
ful and symmetrical tree he has ever
seen. To q lover Of grand trees this
elm Il worth making a special journey
20 zee. In the summer It's limbs,
spreading ont from the trunk, appear
Loaf, after ascending few feet, IN q
dense mass Of rich foliage, while the
lower branches, STOPPING down as II
20 touch the earth, and gently sway.
ing In the breeze. seem 10 invite one
70 find quiet and repose beneath the
generous and refreshing shade. So
symmetrical Is Il on all sides that the
outward contour forms almost a com.
plete semi-circle from the ground clear
over its summit.--N Y. Times
ColorinG Wood.
To produce upon new wood the ap-
pearance Of age Is something upon