The constable drew them. Shakespeare wrote about them. And Francis Drake sailed around the world in ships made from them. English elms were central to Britain's landscape and culture until they were almost wiped out by Dutch elm disease in the 1970s.
Since the devastation of the 25-metre elm tree, enthusiasts and scientists have been searching for varieties that are resistant to the fungus spread by the scarab beetle that kills elms.
Results are mixed. Scientists in Europe and the United States have created hybrids, but they are not always suitable for the British climate, an important factor for some elm enthusiasts, but they are similar to the classic British It lacks the shape of an elm, a figure-eight shape with spreading branches. It is located at the bottom and top of the torso and fastens at the waist in the middle.
Excitement is now growing about new disease-resistant varieties that appear to have many of the characteristics of English elm, and modern elm fans include King Charles, who in 2017 announced the “I planted it,” he said. [an American variety] At Highgrove I watched tragically as many of them fell. ”
This new variety was created by friends Dr. David Harling and Fergus Poncia, who were horrified to see elms cut down with chainsaws when they were students.
“At that time, they said that if you cut down the elm, it would be fine because the roots would produce seedlings,” Poncia said. “The problem is that as soon as they reach 20 feet, they are attracted to insects and get reinfected.
“David's theory was to cross-breed elms, which have proven field tolerance, with English elms, which are classically shaped but have survived.'' Ta.”
The English elm frequently appears in Constable's paintings. Hey Wayne, probably brought to England by the Romans who wanted a fast-growing tree for building bridges. These are known as Athynnian elms, a type of wild elm, which has been native to Britain since the Bronze Age and is distinct from the Wych elm, which flourishes in Scotland and northern England.
While all types of elm may be vulnerable to the Scolytus beetle, its wood is resistant to the underwater gribbleworm, making it a popular choice for the foundations of bridges in wetlands and the keels of ships such as the Golden Hind. It's perfect.
Harling, who earned a graduate law degree from City University and was training to be a barrister, became friends with some Italian academics who had developed a disease-resistant elm, and in 2014 they shared their shares. Ta. He and Poncia took some seedlings and waited until they bloomed. “You only have a few hours before it blooms, so you have to sit and watch it overnight and hope that the other flowers bloom at the same time. Then you remove the pollen from one with a paintbrush and use the other It's not like putting two rabbits in a hutch and waiting.
Eventually they had 130 seedlings, and Poncia, who worked as a lawyer for Southern Water, found land to plant them at Wateringbury Sewage Treatment Plant in Kent. “Wastewater treatment facilities are ideal because deer can't get through the wire mesh,” Poncia says. “Otherwise, they will eat the seedlings that grow out of the protective tube.”
By 2018, the seedlings were strong enough to withstand major testing. They climbed up and inoculated the tree with the latest Dutch elm disease. All four remaining trees were disease-free and appeared to have the upright shape and branch angles of English elms, Poncia said. It was a moment of victory, but there was a cruel twist. Harling passed away in March 2020 after having to battle another illness, cancer. “In many ways, David was more suited to the Renaissance and the 18th century than his time,” said his wife, Joanna. “I think he felt that the elm tree was in a sense 'watching over' and representing something that should not change.
“He was always looking for forms that matched his 'folk' memories of the majestic elm trees in the English landscape.
“I feel that the DNA of our children is woven into the DNA of his research and creation of elms. Like Mendel with a small paintbrush, he moves pollen between seedlings in a greenhouse. I remember what it looked like.”
Research continues even after Harling's death. The four candidates were cross-bred by researchers at leading horticultural center NIAB EMR in East Malling, Kent, with others at the National Elm Collection in Brighton, Lees Court Estate in Faversham and East Grinstead. It was provided to producers such as Gravetie Manor.
Professor Richard Baggs, senior research leader at Kew University, said haring elm and Pontian elm were “promising”. “[Herling’s] “It seemed to be a particularly successful project, and it's very sad that he passed away just as that was about to happen,” he said. “We've been sequencing the genomes of the offspring from his crosses, because that gives us an opportunity to narrow down which parts of the genome are actually conferring resistance.”
Poncia's ultimate goal is to restore the landscape by gifting seedlings and seedlings. “People will only plant a tree if it costs a few pence, rather than a tree from a nursery that costs £30 apiece,” he said. “We just want to restore the environment to its historical condition.”