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AMKKICAX ASH-TREE. 



305 



cies, IVoin which circnmstanco, it lias been called by some botanists, Fraxhws 

 discolor. The flowers, which put forth in tlie month of May, are of a light-green 

 colour, and are succeeded by keys about an incli and a half in length, cylindrical 

 near the bas'3, and gradually flattened into a wing-like form, with their extremi- 

 ties slightly notched. They arc usually united in bunches, four or five inches 

 long, and are ripe early in autumn. 



Varieties. For reasons stated in our remarks at the commencement of this 

 genus, we have considered all the alleged species of the American ash, only as 

 varieties, which will be found to be no more numerous than those of the Euro- 

 pean species: and not half so much so as those of the Quercus cerris, ile.x. and 

 other species of oak, of which very little notice is taken, because they cannot be 

 readily propagated by grafting. The variations in the American ash may be 

 characterized as follows; but those who differ from us in opinion will find no dif- 

 ficulty in recognizing their names as given by Michaux, Loudon, and otliers. and 

 will thus be enabled to know under what head they are described in the works 

 of these authors : 



1. F. A. LATiFOLiA, Loudou. Brocicl-leaved American Ash^ having broader 

 leaves than the species. 



2. F. A. PUBEscENs. Pubesceut American Ash ; Fraximis tomentosa^ of Michaux ; 

 Praxinus pnbescens, of Don, Loudon, and others; Frene picbescent, Frene rouge^ 

 of the French ; Red Ash, of the Anglo-Ameri- 

 cans. This variety is a beautiful tree, some- 

 times attaining a height of sixty feet, with a 

 trunk fifteen or eighteen inches in diameter. 

 The bark of the trunk is of a deep-brown ; and 

 the Avood, which is of a reddish hue, is some- 

 what harder, but less elastic, than that of the 

 white ash, and is applied to similar uses in the 

 arts. It is inferior to that tree, both in size, 

 and in the rapidity of its growth ; the length 

 of the annual shoots, and the distances between 

 the buds being only about one half as great. 

 The leaves are from twelve to fifteen inches 

 .ong, and are composed of three or four pairs 

 of very acuminate leaflets, terminated by an 

 odd one. The lower surface of the leaflets, as 

 well as the shoots of the same season, are cov- 

 ered with a thick down, which, on insulated 

 trees, at the approach of autumn, becomes red, 

 whence, probably, is derived the name of the tree; but by others it is thought 

 to be derived from the reddish colour of its wood. The flowers, which put forth 

 in May, are succeeded by samaroe similar in form and arrangement to those of the 

 white ash, but difTering from them in being not quite so long, and in having a 

 short mucro at the apex. This variety is most abundant in Pennsylvania, Mary- 

 land, and Virginia; where it prefers swamps and j)laces frequently inundatctl, or 

 liable to be covered with water by copious rains. In these situations, it is 

 accompanied by the shell-bark hickory, ((^'arya alba.) bitter-nut hickory, (Carya 

 amara,) swamp white oak, (Quercus priiius discolor,) red maple, (Acer rubrum,) 

 sweet gum, (Liit[uidambar styraciflua,) and the tu]elo-tree (Nyssa biflora.) 

 This variety was introduced into Britain in IS 11, where it can only be consid- 

 ered as an ornamental tree. 



3. F. A. suB-puBEscENs. SUi!;Jithj-})riJ)esrcnl American Ash, having its leaflets 

 petiolate, elliptic-oblong, acuminated, sharply serrated, downy beneath, with the 

 common petioles glabrous. 



