4 APRIL 1914, Page 16

ELM BLOSSOMS.

[To THR EDITOR 07 THB ..SIIICTATOV9 SIR,—A correspondent in your last issue suggests that William Morris, in the line " The elm tree flowers fell like tears," was alluding to the flowers of the wych elm, on the ground that they are not red, but a very pale green, and fall in quantities. May I point out that the flowers of the wych elm are red, and identical with those of the common elm. The poet is evidently alluding to the fruit of the elm, which is flat, oval and pale green, and might well be compared to a tear. He is probably alluding to the fruit of the toyed elm, as this falls in