EUROPEAN ASH-TREE. 389 



tiie pieces of ash ; and Dioscoridcs asserts that the juice of ash leaves, mixed with 

 wine, is a cure for the bite of serpents. Evelyn mentions that, in some parts of 

 England the country people believe that, " if they split young ash-trees, and make 

 ruptured children pass through the chasm, it will cure them;" and the Rev. W. 

 T. Bree relau^s an instance, within his personal knowledge, of this extraordinary 

 superstition having been practised within a few years in VVarwickshire. Anotlier 

 superstition is that of boring a hole in an ash-tree, and imprisoning a shrew 

 mouse in it. A few strokes with a branch of a tree thus prci)ared, is supposed to 

 cure lameness and cramps in cattle, all of which the poor mouse is accused of hav- 

 ing occasioned. There is also a proverb in the midland coimties of England, 

 that, "if there are no keys on the ash-trees, there will be no king withm the 

 twelvemonth;" in allusion to the ash never being totally destitute of keys. 

 Lightfoot says that, in many parts of the Highlands of Scotland, " at the birth of 

 a child, the nurse or midwife puts one end of a green stick of this tree into the 

 fire, and, while it is burning, gathering in a spoon the sap, or juice, which oozes 

 out at the other end, administers this as the first spoonful of food to the newly- 

 born baby." Gilpin, in his "Forest Scenery," calls the oak the Hercules of the 

 forest, and the ash the Venus. The Romans called the seed of the ash lingua 

 avis, from its supposed resemblance to a bird's tongue. In marshy situations, 

 the ash strikes its roots deep into the ground. Hence arises the proverb in some 

 parts of England, " May your foot-fall be by the root of an ash " may you get 

 a firm footing. 



Soil and Situation. The Fraxinus excelsior always grows best in a good soil, 

 somewhat calcareous, and which, though not boggy, is generally adjoining water. 

 Its most favourite situations are on the steep, rocky banks of rivers, or on the 

 sides of glens, where the soil is generally of a great depth, and a stream not very 

 far distant. The ash, however, agrees with a greater variety of soil and situa- 

 tion, perhaps, than any other tree producing timber of equal value ; and, ditieriug 

 from many other trees, its value is increased, rather than diminished, by the rapid- 

 ity of its growth. Wherever its growth is stunted, the wood is brittle, and soon 

 affected by the rot ; but where it has been vigorous, the compact part of the several 

 layers bears a greater proportion to the cellular or spongy parts, and the timber 

 is very tough, elastic, and durable. Mr. Sang, who is considered the very best 

 modern authority in all matters respecting the hardier forest trees, observes, that 

 the ash " is found in the highest perfection on dry, loamy soils. On such it spon- 

 taneously grows. In moist, but not wet soils, it grows fast, but soon sickens. 

 It will grow freely on most kinds of soils, if the situation be tolerably good, except 

 on retentive clays or tills. In wet soils, it soon sits up, (ceases to increase either 

 in girth or height,) languishes, and dies. In rich lands, its wood is short and 

 brittle; in sandy soils it is tough and reedy; qualities which, for several purposes, 

 very much enhance it value. In loam, mixed with decomposed rock, at the bot- 

 tom of a mountain, the ash arrives at a greater size." Dr. ^\ alker, a close 

 observer of nature, and an ardent lover of trees, says, in his " Highlands of Scot- 

 land," that, " The ash should be planted on dry banks, in gleus and gullies, in 

 places incumbered with large, loose stones, and in all rocky places, wherever 

 there is shelter ;" but, " the largest trees," continues he, " will always be foimd 

 where they have running water within reach of their roots." And he atlds, 

 "There is no situation too high, or too cold, for the ash, provided it has shelter; 

 but without shelter it never makes a considerable tree at a great height, even 

 though standing in a good soil." The most proper situation for the ash, accord- 

 ing to Nicol, is the forest or the grove. Marshall recommends it to bo planted 

 alternately with the oak; because, as the ash draws its nourishment tVoui the 

 surface, and the oak from the sub-soil, the ground M-ould thus be fully and profit- 

 ably employed 



