=2. Ulmus americàna= Linnæus. White Elm. Plate 58. Large trees; bark
deeply fissured, gray, the ridges showing white streaks between the
layers; twigs more or less hairy at first and usually becoming glabrous
by the end of the season; buds ovate, acute and glabrous; leaves ovate,
oval or obovate, average blades 8-12 cm. long, hairy on both sides on
expanding, becoming at maturity glabrous above and smooth or rough,
sometimes very rough on vigorous young shoots, remaining pubescent
beneath, rarely glabrous; fruit ripening before or as the leaves unfold,
generally oval in shape, about 1 cm. long, both surfaces glabrous,
margins about as wide as the seed and fringed with hairs; wood hard,
tough, flexible, generally hard to split, warps badly in seasoning.
=Distribution.=--Quebec to Florida, west to Texas and Nebraska. Found
throughout Indiana, and doubtless in every county. It is frequent to
common or very common on the flood plains of streams, in wet woods and
in low ground generally.
=Remarks.=--This species is also called water elm, swamp elm, gray elm,
bitter elm, sour elm and in southwestern counties it is often called red
elm. In Perry County it is often called hub elm. It is generally known
as "elm" and when this term is used, it refers to this species. The wood
has a very wide range of uses. The greatest amount has been used for
hoops, staves and heading. Large quantities have been used in the
manufacture of agricultural implements, hubs, furniture, basket handles,
etc. White elm is usually considered very difficult to split, but I was
informed by a pioneer timber cutter that the heart wood of the veterans
of the forest splits as well as oak, and that he worked many a tree up
into staves. He told me that he made into staves a tree in Paulding
County, Ohio, that was eight feet in diameter at the stump. There is
little attempt being made by woodlot owners to propagate this tree.
However, the natural propagation of the species is probably greater than
any other species because it produces seed at an early age, and culls of
the forest are not cut because they are not good for fuel which leaves
them to produce seed. Then the seed are light, and are scattered to
great distances by the wind and water. It is propagated very easily from
seedlings.
The tree when grown in the open has a tendency to be bushy and unless it
is given some pruning will have a very short clear trunk. It has always
been regarded as one of the best species for shade tree planting. For
beauty of form it is not excelled by any tree for shade or ornamental
planting. However, it has several insect enemies that require spraying
to keep them under control.
[Illustration: Plate 58.